


Coup de foudre

by SilentRain91



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Blood and Violence, F/F, High School, Hurt/Comfort, Kara is her alien self, Minor Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers, Secrets, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-13 18:49:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 92,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14754306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91
Summary: If an ancient rumor was anything to go by, Lena had a soulmate, but she was skeptical and didn't believe in such a thing. Why would she believe in something without tangible proof? She had no time for foolish false hope. Then she meets Kara, a girl struggling to fit in, and it turns out they both hold a secret. Not everything is what it appears to be. Some doors aren't meant to be opened.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Coup de foudre means "love at first sight". Just for the record, I don't speak French, I merely like that saying. 
> 
> Also, a reminder; don't post any of my fanfics anywhere ever. I don't give permission for that and I never will. Copy pasting my work is stealing and it's disrespectful. With that being said, enjoy. :)

 

Ancient rumors whispered only among creatures who mostly roamed around on earth at night claimed the first of their kind, a man named Gabriel Morningstar, visited a witch with the plea for a soul, for a purpose. The eldest among their kind knew the tales but did not carry the slightest belief. The youngest held on to those tales like a crutch, viewing it as a second chance, as a beacon of hope.

Vampires were considered soulless. In a particular understanding of the word they were. They had died, and their soul became trapped somewhere in between worlds, doomed to roam for eternity unless death bested them once more. Ancient rumor promised a soulmate. It was not so much of a blessing as it was a curse. Vampires were cursed beings. Those poor souls believing in the rumor traveled the world in search for naught as decades went on, or even centuries.

It was a cruel fate, watching someone’s hope fade into nothing. Even if the rumor were real, they did not grant Gabriel a soul. They offered him the illusion of a soulmate for all of them. The talks were a myth. They had to be, though any vampire with half a mind knew they were considered a legend also.

While vampires need not draw breath into their lungs and had no pulse, they were real, as real as humans. In ancient folklore, people whispered they were creatures belonging to the night, drinking to purify tainted bloodlines. Hundreds of years ago, humans accused of having bad blood were left outside at night, tied to trees, while others in the village painted their blood on the doors as if to prove they were pure.

Vampires used to belong to the night only, forced to live in the shadows lest they not burn in the sun. Times changed. So had humans and so had vampires. They did not quietly accept their fate. Instead, they adapted, found ways to walk among the mundane. Few of them more so than most.

Lena idly buttoned up her red blouse. The fabric felt soft and smooth under her thin, pale fingers. It had the same deep wine red color as the lipstick she painted on her lips. She stared into the mirror and caught glimpses of her room yet none of herself, as per usual. Finishing up her outfit with black slacks and high heels, she contemplated adding a bit of color to her cheeks.

She was always a pale one, even before, everything. The illusion of passing as a human made her feel connected to the world somehow, tethered. She recently relocated to the outskirts of a quiet place called Midvale. It was both a gamble and something to hold on to. She enjoyed the silent scenery and cared little for crowded areas. The risk lied within how often everyone knew everyone in places where the population was modest.

At her last location, she lost that gamble. Humans stuck their noses where it did not belong. They trespassed onto her property, and she knew she ought to relocate. The constant moving around was as tiring as it was necessary. She never stayed anywhere longer than a decade. It was only a matter of time before it no longer went unnoticed she did not age.

Attachments were out of the question unless it was with someone of her kind. Not that she cared much for interactions. She was private, a closed book locked in a safe. Warming up to someone was unlikely for her. If a vampire could die from small talk, she would be the first.

Footsteps came up behind Lena, followed by a whistle. “You don’t look a day older than six-hundred and sixty-five,” Sam – Lena’s friend, yes, believe it or not, she had one of those – said, nodding her head in approval as her eyes roamed down Lena’s body.

Lena laughed. “You cold-blooded bitch,” she replied, having expected this much from Sam. “Don’t remind a lady of her age. It’s a tad crass.”

“You’re turning six-hundred and sixty-six this year,” Sam pointed out as if Lena needed the extra reminder. “That’s a big deal.”

“Agree to disagree, but I look good, don’t I?” Lena asked, admiring how she looked in the reflection of a pot. “I hardly look a day older than twenty-four, wouldn’t you say?” she asked, spinning a slow circle for good measure.

“You’re lucky you have such a youthful body.”

Lena raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Are you saying you don’t?” she asked, sizing Sam up and down. “Because you look - what were those words you used? Smoking hot?”

Unlike Lena who had been twenty-four physically for a long time, Sam was twenty-eight and had only been a vampire for roughly a decade. She was the one who found Sam. Back when Sam was a whimpering mess and struggled to accept her new reality after another vampire left her for dead. She could have done the same, as most of her kind did because new blood was not easy to handle. Newborns were uncontrolled, untethered and knew only the burn in the back of their throat and the primal urge to feed, to survive.

Instead of leaving the helpless newborn for dead, she saw something in her, something familiar. Watching Sam up close, clawing at her own throat, had torn open an old wound. Once, long ago, she was not so different, only she was left for dead, but she survived despite all odds, though she was guilty of unspeakable things which aided her survival. Vampires were cold and careless, yet she had lifted Sam into her arms and taken her under her wings.

She taught Sam everything she could to survive, to blend in. Meanwhile, Sam showed her more about the modern world and instructed her to blend in better than she used to. Earth relied a lot on technology. People had small devices with music or conversations pouring out of them.

Teaching was one of the rare things she enjoyed. It gave her a purpose, a chance of passing on knowledge. Sam was not the first she taught, though mainly she explained things to humans rather than vampires. It was part of the reason why she decided to teach again, here in Midvale. Her identity recently changed from Morgana Pendragon to Lena Luthor. She knew a vampire who arranged such details.

She welcomed being Lena, considering it was a part of her real first name; Magdalena. As far as she was informed – not that she ever asked many questions about her new titles – the Luthor family recently perished in a fire, and she received the identity of the daughter who died in that fire.

“You look a little pale,” Sam observed. She moved over to Lena with a small brush in her hands. “That’s not going to float here in Midvale. The sun shines too much.”

“What will you do in my absence?”

“Have sex in your bed and on every piece of furniture you own,” Sam answered dryly, chuckling when Lena gave her a push.

“If you do that, I will burn down this house with you in it,” Lena said, raising a brow in challenge. “We could do with a supply run,” she suggested, keeping her voice casual and nonchalant. She knew Sam was never particularly fond of going on such a journey, though she trained her well. 

Sam chewed on her lip. “I’m not acquaintanced with the hospital here and the sun….”

“Won’t burn you,” Lena assured her. She knew the sun was warm here in Midvale, but she would never put her friend in the line of danger if she so much as thought there was any. “So long as you drink the potions, you’re safe.”

Sam scrunched up her nose. “I don’t know what they call all of those herbs you’re putting in that potion, but it tastes like bile and gravel.”

Lena knew it tasted utterly disgusting, but so long as they kept brewing those potions and drinking them weekly, the sun failed to burn them. It was a small price to pay for such a luxury, a low cost to escape having to be bound to the night.

 

* * *

 

 

The sound of an alarm beeping cut through the silence. It was loud and simply annoying in every way. Bleary eyes groaned at the sunlight poking through the small gap between the drawn curtains. A hand came down atop the alarm clock, resulting in an audible crack as the thing stopped beeping.

Kara winced at her sister’s sigh, the telltale sign she had awoken – _duh, with such a noisy alarm_ – and that she knew what she had done.

“Do you really have to break our alarm clock every year, Kara?”

Kara heard the grogginess in her sister’s voice, the sleep riddled underneath it. Alex Danvers was many things, but a morning person wasn’t one of them. At least things got better than they were four years ago. Four years ago, she was a thirteen-year-old girl who was new to earth and Alex – a stubborn teenager who was also thirteen –  didn’t like the fact she suddenly had to share her room one bit. During the first year, she was an intruder in her adoptive sister’s eyes.

The second year didn’t pass smoothly either, but it got better during the third and after the fourth, they managed to build a friendship. She was the awkward alien with a different background and a constant struggle to blend in. Rao knew she had a yearning longing to find her place in the world, to not feel so alien all of the time. It was one thing being an alien, but feeling like an alien was worse.

“You know I can’t help it,” Kara breathed out. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and sat up, palms resting on either side of her legs. “It’s our first day of school and it just… the noise is so loud and it makes me jumpy. My body still thinks we’re in the middle of our summer vacation where there are no mean noisy alarms to ruin our sleep.”

Alex shifted in her bed and mirrored the way Kara was sitting. “At least you’re consistent.”

Kara chanced a smile upon seeing her sister throwing a smile her way. Consistent was one way to put it, considering she did have a bit of a streak of ruining alarm clocks, especially on the first day of a new school year.

“Well, since I’m awake now…,” Kara trailed off as she hopped out of bed. Her eyes had accepted the switch from dark to light, so she was all good to embrace the sunshine with a smile, to feel it warm her skin.

Alex narrowed her eyes when Kara’s hands reached for the curtains. “Don’t you dare,” she said lowly, and when Kara opened the curtains anyway, she hissed. “Begone, Satan,” she muttered while she drew her blanket over her head.

Kara chuckled and she should have known her sister’s earlier smile wasn’t a sign of a good morning mood. No, that was wishful thinking on her part. “I smell breakfast,” she said, poking Alex through her blanket. “I know you don’t like mornings or school for that matter,” she started, smiling when Alex huffed. “Okay, _I_ don’t like school that much,” she admitted. “But it’s our senior year.”

It wasn’t that Kara had a problem with school in general. She had a problem with the sensory overload. Her glasses helped, but they didn’t drown out the noise and while she learned how to cope with it, sometimes it was too much. Her techniques weren’t fail-proof. And as far as classes went, well, most of them were okay. Math was easy, too easy that if she were to bring a pillow, she could fall asleep during class. Not that she needed the pillow. She could sleep anywhere, even on concrete. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but she could if she wanted to.

History was hard for her, really hard. She didn’t see the purpose of learning so much about the past. None of it was her culture and it was a painful reminder Krypton was gone. Gym was interesting. Whenever she got too good, too perfect, she was held back with false sick notes before anyone could blink and question her skills. She was athletic, that was no secret, but she was told to be careful.

Her sister tried to help her, out of obligation from her adoptive parents who drilled it into her she had to, though she believed the last year or two it was growing into something Alex wanted to do out of her own accord. Last year when they had to run a lot of laps during gym, her sister told her to never run faster than the second best one did. She learned to sprinkle water onto her face and shirt to appear sweaty, masking the fact gym didn’t make her break out a single sweat.

She never got ill, but whenever Alex was bound to her bed by a stubborn illness going around, the Danvers family kept her at home and let the school know she was sick, too. They couldn’t have anyone asking questions as to why she was never ill. There were rules she had to follow to blend in, to belong somehow, even though it felt fake and forced, and like she was never really going to have a place here on earth.

Alex poked her head from underneath her blanket when Eliza called out breakfast was ready. She sniffed and frowned when Kara laughed. “What’s so funny?” she asked, climbing out of bed.

“You kind of remind me of a bear in hibernation,” Kara answered, laughing louder when Alex chucked a pillow at her. “You asked, I answered.”

“You ass,” Alex muttered, but her voice was laced with an undercurrent of affection and a barely-there smile played at her lips. “Hurry up in the bathroom. You better be ready by the time I’m done choosing which clothes I want to wear.”

“By the time you make up your mind on what to wear, I’ll be halfway out the door with a bagel in my mouth.”

“You should worry about your own outfits more than mine. You dress like a librarian.”

Kara pouted at that. She didn’t dress like a librarian. Her clothes were casual, basic. She preferred her clothes over Alex’s because at least her closet was filled with color while her sister’s closet nearly had none. Odds were Alex was going to wear some black shirt from some random band again. The word groupie passed her mind, but she swallowed it down. She didn’t want to start trouble with her sister.

There was nothing wrong with her liking cardigans. At least she never went to school in the white dress she had on when she landed on earth. It no longer suited her anyway. By now it was folded and kept in a shoebox under her bed. That dress and her mother’s necklace was all she had left. Her fingers automatically grasped her necklace as she did often in the mornings. She also did that throughout the day at random times, especially whenever she felt nervous or when she was thinking.

Once she was dressed and devoured her breakfast, she headed out the door with her sister to walk to school. “I wish my mother was here,” she said, slowly breathing out when Alex gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m a senior now and she isn’t here to see it. Oh Rao, I don’t even know yet what I want to study in college.”

“Relax, Kara, you still got an entire year to figure it out. Don’t fret.”

Kara hummed thoughtfully. If Krypton hadn’t perished, she would have been a part of the science guild. But Krypton did perish and she couldn’t change that.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena heard a girl with blonde locks laugh. The sound was full and warm. Time slowed as blue eyes met hers through glasses. The girl’s cheeks tinged red a little, minor enough to make her wonder if she had imagined it. She eyed the girl curiously as she pushed her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose and then the girl was laughing at something her companion said to her.

She had to tear her gaze away, had to remind herself, love, at first sight, was a myth. It would be utterly ridiculous for her to believe for even a fraction of a second there was truth to the ancient rumor and yet as she observed the blonde, it gave her a pause. It was not a physical kind of attraction, not that the girl was not aesthetically pleasing, because she was. No, it was ethereal, a connection not of this world.

One laugh, one look and somehow she _knew_. It was as if a puzzle with missing pieces finally found the lost pieces and completed itself. Something between them transferred, something neither one of them had control over. Her heart gave a brief pang as if it was trying to learn how to beat again. It did not beat nor was it going to, but the feeling was present at the same time the blonde haired girl rubbed her hand over her chest as if something inside of her burned.

She forced herself to place her attention elsewhere. This was not right. The blonde haired girl was exactly that; a girl. Even if she let the ancient soulmate rumor humor her, she could not build anything with a girl who was a mere teenager, a student, a _high school_ student. While her kind cared little for the law, there were boundaries even a vampire refused to cross. Attachments were a risk of exposure.

Lest she not be exposed, she had to abide by the law and her own personal set of rules along with it. The girl laughed again, the melodious sound causing her eyes to find her again. Even as the crowd thickened, it was that same girl who kept drawing her attention. So infectious and alluring yet she was aware she ought to keep a distance, to keep that girl from being her downfall.

When the blue-eyed stranger looked her way, she averted her gaze and made her way into the building to find her assigned classroom. She found a steady heartbeat and focused on the sound as she drowned out the chatter from the students whom for some reason thought they had to relay their entire summer break to others.

Slowly, but surely, students spilled into her classroom. She wrote her name on the board in chalk, the sound of the chalk scraped her ears more than it did the board, but in the middle of writing her newest surname, she found that steady heartbeat again and when she turned, those blue eyes which were starting to become familiar, were on her.

The pang in her chest returned as she watched the girl rub at her own chest with a frown on her face. A girl with auburn hair who was sitting right next to the blonde nudged her with a whispered, “are you okay, Kara?”

“Good morning, students,” Lena said as she stood in front of her desk with a thick history book clasped in her hands. She saw those blue eyes – Kara’s eyes – meet hers and as the students murmured a mostly tired and insincere, “good morning,” she completely forgot what she was about to say.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Kara didn’t think it was possible for her to have any type of heartburn and yet here she was, on the first day of her senior year, in her first class, feeling just that. The feeling inside of her chest was warmer than when she felt the sunlight on her skin. Another difference was the fact the sunlight never hurt her, but the burn in her chest did. It was the second time she felt it. The first time she was standing right outside of the school building.

She nodded quickly to shake off her sister’s concern. While the feeling was strange and not particularly pleasant, it was bearable. She had other things to focus on, such as the fact she needed to pay attention to this class. Miss Luthor was new. Up until last year, Mister Olsen used to teach history. His classes were so boring the students had nicknamed him Mister Lames after someone learned his first name was James.

If he was gone this year, she certainly had no issue with that. History was bad enough without a teacher droning everything word by word from a book in the plainest tone ever. Miss Luthor’s voice was different. She had an accent she couldn’t place. The thick history book in her teacher’s hands was a lot less welcome. Rao, it was the first day of school, her brain wasn’t ready to absorb history.

Miss Luthor looked a little intimidating but in the kind of way that urged people to respect her. She liked how her blouse matched with her lipstick. Her history teacher had to be one of the palest people she had ever seen. There was some color on her cheeks, but it wasn’t much. When Miss Luthor put the book aside on the desk, she almost thanked Rao out loud. For a moment she was worried her teacher was simply going to open it and delve right into teaching.

On the first day, teachers often asked students about their summer vacation. It seemed pretty much standard, from her understanding ever since she came to earth. On the other hand, she was a senior now and Miss Luthor was new, so there was no telling what this teacher’s style was.

“Do any of you know how the Roman Empire was cut in half?” Miss Luthor asked while she leaned against her desk. The students were quiet and then she raised an eyebrow and said, “With a pair of Caesars.”

Kara was stunned as a couple of students erupted in light chuckles and laughter. “A pun?” she whispered to her sister.

“I’ll take her over Mister Lames any day,” Alex mumbled. She leaned back, twirled her pen between her fingers and smiled.

Kara vehemently agreed. She was surprised she found herself leaning her elbow on her desk with her chin in her hand, giving Miss Luthor her full attention to teaching her something. The hushed murmurs from the students drowned out while her eyes were fixated on Miss Luthor, who began to talk about the Roman Empire. She wondered if Miss Luthor knew how to sing, which was a random thought, but her voice was like a nightingale.

Her ears picked up on the blood running through Miss Luthor’s veins. She heard her breathe every now and then, but her breathing was uneven as if she forgot to breathe sometimes or maybe she was capable of holding her breath for a long time, although both made her wonder why. When Miss Luthor’s chest expanded a little as she breathed in, it didn’t expand much; her breaths were too shallow as if she cared little to breathe properly.

She felt her cheeks warm when she realized where her eyes were, a mistake she quickly corrected by snapping her eyes up. Miss Luthor’s eyes were a delicate green. Her lips curved beautifully when she spoke and they reminded her of cupid bows. She slowly took in every feature and every sound, all that was Miss Luthor, out of curiosity for her new teacher.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena tried to avoid looking at Kara as she flowed into teaching her students history. Whenever her eyes did briefly flicker her way, she found the girl staring at her, although in all fairness it could be passed off as the fact she was the teacher. Then again, from her past experiences, she knew at times students used paying attention as an excuse to shamelessly gape at her. It became particularly obvious whenever she heard a pulse quicken

History was effortlessly easy for her to teach. Not only had she lived through a piece of it and was able to have a real taste of it, she had read numerous books. As a vampire, she had to do something with her immortality otherwise her life would be particularly dull. Aside from history, she oftentimes taught science and math. Her resume was impeccable and she owed more than one, considering no human could ever gather all of the experience she had.

She heard a student whispering to another student about the fire which had cost the lives of everyone in the Luthor family, except hers. Little did they know she was not Lena Luthor, though given the fact nobody seemed to know the young Luthor woman, even if she had not perished, they could not pick her out of a lineup if they tried. Her new identities were chosen carefully and on occasion, it happened under less than desirable circumstances. To put it simply, dire circumstances required extreme measurements and sometimes people had to disappear to lend their identities to someone of her kind.

The students gathered their things the second the bell rung, signaling the end of her class. She was surprised how quickly time had passed, though time was always fleeting. Something about Kara’s heartbeat was different now, less steady.

“Remember to read through your notes,” Lena reminded her students. “I will see you all tomorrow again.”

Lena watched as the girl hurried out of her classroom. Those blue eyes were wide behind those glasses and Kara almost knocked into the doorpost, but then one of her friends pulled at her arm whilst mumbling a question as to what was on her mind. Kara stared at her until she was completely out of sight. How peculiar. She had the impression something scared the poor girl and while she could not put her finger on it, she could not shake how Kara was looking directly at her and her alone, as if she was the cause.

Later, after she finished a class with the juniors, lunch break came around. She was both reluctant and grateful whenever it was lunchtime. The latter was particularly true this time. She was thirsty to the point where she felt an old familiar burn in the back of her throat. It was strange, considering she drank this morning and was capable of going days without a drop of blood, not that it was favorable for vampires to withhold themselves from drinking for prolonged periods of time.

One glance at the windows was enough to spot several of her colleagues flocking towards the diner across the street. Her well-trained hearing was enough to know those who had not gone to the diner were seated in the teacher’s lounge to enjoy their disgusting lunch. The smell of food was far from pleasant. From her understanding, Midvale high cared little where its teachers ate lunch, so long as they stuck to the timetable.

With her classroom door closed and the blinds shut, she pulled out a thermos and set it down on her desk. She put a pack of tissues next to it, which was necessary to clean her mouth afterward, even if she was certain she had not spilled a single drop. She was no fool; this was not her first rodeo. Her thermos was filled with blood. She inhaled its scent and worked her jaw as her fangs came out.

Vampires were adaptable. She knew when to withdraw her fangs, but when she drank, her fangs were always visible, a force of habit. The lenses she had in prevented the redness in her eyes from showing, redness which only occurred when she grew thirsty. She took a generous gulp from the blood, humming as the warm liquid slid down her throat.

The majority of the time, she drank human blood. One might think the modern world made it harder to come by, though it was quite the opposite. It was easier to come by now. In the past, her methods to acquire blood were questionable. Humans either died or turned when bitten, which meant if a human was bitten, her kind had three choices. Leave them somewhere to die a slow death, kill them or be responsible for them.

She had tried drinking animal blood in the past more than once, but the taste was incredibly icky. When she gave Sam animal blood once, Sam told her it tasted like eating food which was long overdue. As she emptied her thermos little by little, she thought of Kara and the noticeable shift in her behavior.

With one class left to teach today, she was counting down to return home and spend some time down at her private lab, in which not even Sam was allowed to set foot in. Sam knew from day one it was her number one rule Sam had to abide with no questions asked. After receiving a taste there was truth to the ancient rumor, she was in dire need of spending time in her lab, or as Sam called it; her secret lair.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Do you think zombies can talk?”

“They might say the word brains in cheap movies made by amateurs, but generally, no. Why?”

Kara swallowed thickly and lowered her voice in an even more hushed whisper than before. “I think Miss Luthor is a zombie,” she whispered in Imra’s ear.

They sat at a lunch table together, side by side, with Alex and Lucy across from them. She was hungry, but she was too distracted by her observations to dig into her lunch right away. It was something she had been thinking about ever since their first class ended. She couldn’t even concentrate during math, though with her knowledge that wasn’t an issue. Her math teacher called her out on daydreaming and not paying attention, but when she went to the board to solve a mathematical problem her teacher gaped at her for explaining it like it was nothing.

Imra turned her head to the side and looked Kara right in the eyes. “You don’t sound like you’re kidding,” she said, eyebrows creasing together. “You really think she’s a… zombie?”

Kara met Imra at the beginning of her junior year, a year ago. While their friendship was relatively new, they became fast friends. A year ago, some jerk pulled the fire alarm, and the sound was a nightmare to hear, especially because it happened on the first day of her junior year and she was still in the peaceful mindset of a relaxed summer vacation. She ran off into the bathroom to hide, covered her ears with her hands and rocked back and forth.

After some seconds, maybe a minute, someone had walked in. The tiles behind her head cracked from where her head kept connecting with the wall. She froze when a girl she hadn’t seen before looked at her, and her mind was scrambling for a valid excuse to explain the broken tiles. The girl introduced herself as Imra, her voice soft and gentle, like waves lapping onto the shore. She remembered how Imra reached for her hands, how she talked to her until she didn’t even realize anymore there was a fire alarm going off.

Her Kryptonian background was supposed to be kept quiet, but Imra knew. The Danvers family wasn’t too happy when they found out, though they calmed down after some time. It helped Imra was an alien too, but unlike her, Imra came from Saturn. Whenever she was near her friend, she knew she wasn’t entirely alone in feeling so foreign.

“I’m not sure,” Kara said, fumbling with her necklace. “She, ah, she doesn’t have a, you know…She doesn’t have a heartbeat. Oh Rao, I tried to really listen, but there’s just… nothing. Not a single beat. So she has to be a zombie, because zombies are clinically dead or something and- this is not funny, don’t chuckle.”

“What’re you two chatting about?” Lucy asked, glancing between Kara and Imra.

“Nothing,” Kara mumbled, quickly glancing at her sister who was looking at her worriedly. She knew Alex wasn’t going to delve into it because her sister knew she sometimes discussed things with Imra about her powers, things Lucy couldn’t hear considering Lucy didn’t know the truth.

“Ever so secretive,” Lucy said with a sigh. “I’m going to the vending machine for some snacks, any of you want -”

“Yes!” Kara said, smiling sheepishly when Lucy laughed at her enthusiasm.

“Alright, I’ll be right back.”

Alex folded her hands on the table and leaned forward a little after Lucy walked away. “You look like you saw a ghost earlier,” she said to Kara. “What’s going on with you?”

Kara leaned over the table as well, cupped her hands next to her mouth and said in the most serious tone she could muster, “I think Miss Luthor is a zombie.”

Alex tipped her head back and laughed.

“ _Alex_ ,” Kara sighed. “This is not a joke. I’m serious, she’s… she’s dead. She’s a zombie.”

“Oh my god, Kara. You should hear yourself,” Alex said, wiping tears in the corners of her eyes. There was a huge smile on her face. “Zombies don’t look like models plucked from a catwalk, and they don’t talk. She looks pretty alive for someone you call dead if you ask me.”

“She is a quite a looker,” Imra agreed, smiling, to which Alex started spluttering.

“I mean, she’s fashionable and things, she’s a woman. She looks young for a teacher, not that it’s relevant, I’m just saying. She looks fine. Fine as in, erm, normal,” Alex said. Her movements were jerky as she shifted on her seat. “Zombies don’t exist anyway, that’s the point I was trying to make.”

Imra reached over the table and smiled softly as she squeezed Alex's hand. 

Kara frowned deeply when her sister’s cheeks turned redder by the second, and it looked like she was going to faint. “Alex?” she asked, seeing Imra releasing Alex’s hand with a look akin to regret, assuming Imra had meant to comfort, but she wasn’t sure why. “Are you-”

“I’m fine!” Alex loudly blurted out. She cleared her throat and went to reach for her soda, but in her haste, she knocked it over. “Fuck this day. I fucking hate Mondays anyway, and I bet this table’s uneven, seems a little wobbly to me,” she grumbled.

“Whoa, I leave for five minutes,” Lucy said as she tossed handfuls of snacks onto their table, “and Al spilled her drink? What gives?”

Alex dabbed at her spilled soda with a napkin and bit her lip so hard she might just break her skin.

“It was my fault,” Imra spoke up. “I told her one of her favorite characters in a show she watches dies, and now she’s shocked.”

“No spoilers,” Lucy replied, plopping down next to Alex. “Not cool, Im. It better not be one of my favorites. I’ve got loads of stuff to catch up with, but such a little time.”

“Little time?” Alex snorted. “Luce, you just had an entire summer vacation to watch things.”

Kara was confused why Imra lied to Lucy for Alex rather than telling Lucy the truth. She wasn’t sure what went wrong, why her sister appeared so panicked all of a sudden. Whatever was going on, Alex was giving Imra a look of gratitude, so she bit the inside of her cheek and left the lie for what it was. For someone who had to lie often, she hated it.

“Entire summer vacation my ass,” Lucy huffed, ripping open a package of skittles. “I had camp for half of it and a meet and greet with my bed for the other half.”

“Lazy much?” Alex asked, eyeing Lucy.

Lucy shrugged. “Gimme your hands,” she said to the lot of them. “You’ve gotta taste the rainbow,” she explained while she poured some skittles onto their hands. She frowned when Alex dropped her skittles. “What’s got you so jittery today?”

Alex’s response was an incoherent grumble.

Maybe Miss Luthor wasn’t a zombie, but she was something. The woman didn’t have a pulse unless Kara’s super hearing misguided her. Perhaps she didn’t listen closely enough. For now, she could give her history teacher the benefit of the doubt, though she was going to get to the bottom of this. She wasn’t sure how or why, but she had a feeling Miss Luthor was responsible for that burn she felt inside of her chest today.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Lena set her jaw when she arrived home. The tension in her body was palpable. She spent teaching that last class feeling on edge. One of her students had the stupidity to wind up with a paper cut. She had to stop drawing air she did not need into her lungs to avoid inhaling the scent of fresh blood, but still, the scent was present. With her back turned to her students while she wrote on the board, none of them noticed she was not breathing.

It was tiresome at times to remember to breathe, to blink and to leave enough of a pause in between sentences so students would not wonder why she was capable of going into a ramble about history without stopping even once to breathe. She also had to keep in mind not to speak too fast. Vampires had a quick tongue and were capable of speaking faster than humans were capable of keeping up with. With centuries of practice, most of it was an automated reflex to her, though at times she forgot to blink for ten whole minutes or forgot to pull air into her lungs.

“I have arrived,” Lena said while she opened the door. She managed to close it without breaking it or ruining the hinges.

“No, no, no,” Sam replied with a shake of her head as she walked up to Lena. “You’re supposed to say, honey, I’m home.”

Lena crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. “Supposed to?” she asked, voice strong, demanding respect. “And I take orders from you since when exactly?”

Sam scoffed. “Nice to see you too,” she said, holding up her hands. “Was your first day that bad? It’s not like you to be so snappy.”

Lena stepped forward and wound her arms around Sam. It was not fair of her to snap at Sam, although she was not in the mood for pleasantries. She adored Sam, but at times she missed her solitude, missed having her house to herself, though thankfully she had her lab.

“Did you manage that supply run I suggested?” Lena asked, words chosen carefully. It was not a command, not ever. She was not Sam’s domina, she was her friend.

“Not yet, but I’ll go tomorrow. According to the weather forecast, it’s going to be cloudy tomorrow. I know the potion will keep me safe, but you know me.”

Lena took a step back and chose not to comment on it. “I’ll be in my lair,” she said, mouth curving into a smirk, pleased she managed to make Sam smile, which was what she wanted.

She built her lab underground before she moved, as she always did, especially since she had Sam under her wing. Sam could not go down there without her even if she dared break her number one rule. The rickety elevator only moved according to her voice commands and her lab could not be entered without her voice command either, not to mention she had it rigged for possible intruders, so unless Sam wanted to be staked, it was better she followed her rule.

“Will you come up soon to enjoy a glass with me?”

Lena’s lips thinned while she raised an eyebrow. It was an innocent enough question, but not one she cared to answer. She would come back up when she deemed fit whether that was soon or late.

Sam sighed audibly. It was such an unlike vampire thing to do, but Lena was accustomed to it. It was a habit which had been present ever since Lena took her under her wing. Vampires had a tendency of keeping minor parts of their human selves, pieces of their first life. Some of those traits were harmless enough whereas others were nowhere near harmless.

Lena once came across a vampire who had a lot of anger as a human, which manifested further and made that vampire an issue. It was an issue she took care of with Carpe Noctem; gatekeepers who erased problems linked to vampires. If a vampire risked exposing their kind, Carpe Noctem dealt with it. As one of the eldest among her kind, she had a sway with Carpe Noctem.

“I’ll be in the living room,” Sam said. “If you want to watch a movie with me, you know where to find me.”

Lena never understood what drove Sam to sit on the couch and watch a movie. They only had a television because Sam wanted one. Movies were subpar at best. Their first television did not last as much as a day. Sam had insisted on watching a movie together and for the sake of effort, she had tried. It was a vampire movie and the way her kind was portrayed angered her to the point where she threw her metal cup, sending it through the television and the wall behind it.

The older a vampire was, the stronger they became and the more heightened their senses were. Sam was still a newborn. Any vampire with less than three decades since they turned was considered such. Not that newborns were not strong, because they were. Sam could lift a bus if she wanted to.

Carpe Noctem ranked Sam a six, which was impressive for a newborn. Newborns were generally not ranked higher than four at most. Each vampire had a number from one to twelve to dictate how dangerous they were. The number was based upon strength, agility and one’s character. Lena smiled darkly as she went down to her lab. They ranked her thirteen.

A spear shot out of the wall at a rapid pace. She sidestepped it and in the fraction of the split second it took her to do so, two more spears launched at a wickedly fast speed, one for each side someone could have chosen to sidestep if they thought they could outsmart her traps. Considering she set it up, she knew they were coming before she even sidestepped. One spear shot by from the wrong side and she caught the other between her fingertips.

“Door, open,” Lena said, watching as the thick silver door clicked open. Vampires could not touch silver without it leaving a mark on their skin. The longer a vampire held something silver, the more it burned into their skin until it seared right through it, to the bone.

She waited for a beat before setting foot inside, watching as liquid silver splashed onto the floor, counting to three before she did enter. “Door, close.”

Lena’s laboratory was spotless and the silver mess was being cleaned from the floor automatically. The neon lights were a soft orange. She could not stand bright lights, her eyes were particularly sensitive. The dim lights were enough to shed light around, not that she needed any to see. The one dark corner she had in here was pitch-black, though she saw it just fine, aside from the half which was hidden behind a curtain.

Ingredients, vials in various colors, beakers and potions were scattered onto the tables in the center of her lab. She gathered the necessary ingredients to create a potion, pausing when she heard a barefooted step, followed by a second step. The plastic curtain rings scraped ever so quietly over the bronze curtain rod. She knew she was being watched, as per usual.

Lena set the ingredients for her potion aside and spun around. “Come hither,” she said, curling her index finger, conveying it was not optional. She raised her brow when her command went ignored. “You cannot hide from me here, don’t be daft. Come out from behind that curtain.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

After some fairly thorough research and a handful of movies, Kara could definitely out-rule the possibility of Miss Luthor being a zombie. If she was, then she would try to eat people rather than talk and teach, and nobody else seemed infected, plus she didn’t look infected, so it wasn’t that. She hadn’t picked up the topic with her sister after she mentioned she thought Miss Luthor was a zombie, yesterday in the school cafeteria.

Alex didn’t say much yesterday when they got home, Rao, her sister didn’t even want to watch a single movie with her, not even when she tried to bribe her with ice cream. Food worked better as a bribery on her than it did on her sister, but it was chocolate ice cream and her sister loved that flavor. She figured Alex had enough on her mind for a while to listen to her theories. At least she had Imra, who didn’t really judge her and was kind enough to hear her out, even if what she said sounded completely ridiculous and not within the realm of possibilities.

Miss Luthor was writing something on the board and Kara planned on writing it down soon, she was going to, but first, she was going to finish a little doodle she started on a piece of paper. She wasn’t the best at drawing, but she tried to make it look decent. Once she finished her doodle of what she figured looked like a ghost, she drew an arrow next to it and wrote _‘Miss Luthor’_.

Alex frowned at Kara when she leaned to the side and stretched out her arm to reach the desk next to hers, where Imra was sitting next to Lucy. Eventually, Alex shook her head and went back to writing down what was being written on the board.

“Imra,” Kara mouthed to Lucy, nodding her head in Imra’s direction.

Lucy eyed Kara strangely and Kara didn’t blame her, considering she wasn’t one to pass on notes during class.

Kara watched as Imra folded open the note and sighed quietly when Imra frowned at her. She hurriedly wrote down some of the notes that were written on the board when her sister nudged her, while she noticed from the corner of her eye Imra was responding to her doodle.

Lucy balled up the piece of paper and tossed it onto Kara’s desk.

Kara opened it, curious to find out what Imra thought of her new theory, her theory being Miss Luthor was a ghost. _‘You think she’s a… blob?’_ Imra’s response read, and okay, that was not what she had hoped for. Her doodle was obviously a ghost.

Okay, maybe it looked a little like the blue blob from Monsters versus Aliens, but she saw a cute thing about a ghost hug on the internet and it kind of had the same shape, sort of. Not that she thought Miss Luthor was cute. No, that was not a word she would use to describe her.

While her peers were scribbling down notes, she wrote down a mini-ramble why she thought Miss Luthor was a ghost. Ghosts were pale and so was her history teacher. Ghosts didn’t have a heartbeat, because well, they were ghosts so that was impossible. Miss Luthor seemed capable of holding things, but she had seen some scary movies where ghosts were able to move things, so if they could do that, surely Miss Luthor could be a ghost.

Lucy shook her head when Kara stretched out her arm, but Kara was too engrossed in what she was doing to realize Miss Luthor was standing a mere step away from her desk. It didn’t strike her until Miss Luthor intercepted her note.

“I’ll take that,” Miss Luthor said, looking between Kara and Imra. “You ought to write down the notes I wrote on the board rather than pass notes through class. You have five minutes left to do so. After that, I’ll wipe the board clean and what you failed to write down will be your problem. Everything on the board will be a part of your first test, tomorrow.”

Kara had to bite her lip to keep her jaw from dropping. She should have known better than not to notice Miss Luthor was nearby. Even when sounding displeased, her teacher sounded like a nightingale. She just about shrank when Miss Luthor arched an eyebrow while she looked right at her. Oh Rao, right, the notes on the board. Oh Rao, there was going to be a test tomorrow and she didn’t grasp a single thing that was on that board.

She hurried to pen it all down while trying to keep her pace modest. When she was about halfway done, she saw Miss Luthor reaching for the board eraser. Oh Rao, that woman sure didn’t joke around. She overheard Lucy whisper to Imra she could copy her notes and that was when she realized Alex was subtly trying to slide her notes closer to her so she could copy from her rather than from the board. In that exact moment, she also realized she lived in the same house as her sister, meaning they were going to study together anyway. Rao, what was Miss Luthor doing to her?

For the rest of the class, she felt embarrassed about what happened. Meanwhile, Miss Luthor’s face was impassive as she continued teaching. She found it difficult that she couldn’t get a read on her, although she safely assumed her teacher wasn’t happy. It looked like she got off easy and when the bell rung, she breathed out in relief, quickly gathering her things.

“You,” Miss Luthor said to Kara while others began to exit.

Kara couldn’t even excuse herself she had to run to another class, because history was her last class today. She gulped and walked over to Miss Luthor’s desk, nearly wincing as she felt that burn in her chest again.

“Yes, Miss Luthor?”

“And you,” Miss Luthor said, eyeing Imra.

“We’re sorry we disrupted your class, Miss Luthor,” Imra said, moving to stand next to Kara. “It won’t happen-” She abruptly stopped talking when Miss Luthor held up a hand.

The other students filed out and it was silent until they were gone.

“I have a skin condition and I don’t appreciate mockery,” Miss Luthor said sharply. “Perhaps next time you may wish to reconsider your words before making fun of one’s appearance, though I do not wish for there to be a second time. I don’t believe in second chances, but for the sake of me being a new teacher, I will give you both the benefit of the doubt. Let this be your first and last warning, girls.”

Kara was stunned. She didn’t mean to ridicule Miss Luthor in any way. None of this was a joke to her. Even now she couldn’t hear Miss Luthor’s heartbeat, so if she wasn’t a zombie and she wasn’t a ghost, then what was she? Vampire crossed her mind, but vampires burned in the sun. She wondered if there was a type of alien without a heartbeat.

“Certainly, Miss Luthor,” Imra said, nudging Kara’s side to pull her out of her trance. “Thank you and again, we’re terribly sorry.”

“Yes, sorry,” Kara chimed in, muttering a little. She cleared her throat at her weak apology. “I won’t pass notes in your class again.”

Miss Luthor dismissed them with the flick of her wrist.

Alex was waiting outside with Lucy and from the look on her face, Kara felt a lecture coming.

“I’ve gotta run home, babes,” Lucy said, slipping her hands into her pockets. “I wasn’t really paying attention in class. Hell, I barely know what I wrote down from the board, so I’m just gonna go study. Im, you wanna come with me to copy the rest, maybe study together?”

“I’d love to,” Imra answered with a smile. “Thanks, Luce.”

Kara briefly exchanged a few words with Lucy and Imra before she walked the other way to go home with her sister. She nodded while Alex went on about how she should have been more careful to avoid getting caught and her sister wanted to know what was so important to pass on notes during class, in particular, a class she oftentimes flunked. Alex wasn’t wrong when she said she had to pay attention to history, how she couldn’t just zone out and do her own thing like she did at times during math.

“Kara, watch out!” Alex shouted.

Kara frowned deeply at the sudden panic in her sister’s voice. She was in the middle of crossing the street and didn’t notice there was a car until the headlights made her look. The car honked and it was clear the driver was slamming their brakes, but the distance was short, too short to come to a proper halt in time.

It never connected. Instead of the car bumping into her in the second she froze in front of it, her sister pushed her out of the way right after she had called out the warning she had to watch out. Unlike her being able to take the hit and come out of it unharmed, Alex couldn’t take it.

Alex got scooped up by the hood of the car and when it came to a stop, she rolled off of it and fell onto the pavement.

“Oh Rao, Alex,” Kara gasped, rushing to crouch down next to her sister. “Why did you do that? Rao, you’re only human,” she whispered while tears sprang into her eyes.

The driver of the car had gotten out and was saying something about calling 911, but Kara wasn’t listening.

Kara scooped her sister up into her arms against better judgment. “You shouldn’t have done that, Alex,” she cried as she started walking towards the hospital.

There was a wound on Alex’s head, close to her hair and she was bleeding. She opened her eyes and looked at Kara. “I have… to look… out for you,” she said, wincing. “Your… secret.”

“Shhh, spare your energy, but keep your eyes open. You’re going to be okay. I’m going to take you to the hospital and the doctors are going to make you better and you’re not dying, I’m not going to lose you, because they’re going to save you and-”

“Kara,” Alex whispered, squeezing Kara’s arm. “I’m not,” she started, hissing when she tried to shake her head. “Going… anywhere,” she whispered. “I’m not… dying.”

Kara rushed into the hospital and oh Rao, she went in through the wrong side. This was the back, not the front. She was about to step outside to go around the building when she spotted a woman wearing a blue kind of costume which she was pretty sure nurses always had on.

“Hey, ma’am,” Kara said as she caught up with the woman with long brown locks and a mouth mask on. The woman seemed like she was in a hurry, her steps were fast. “Ma’am, can you please help us? Doctor? Nurse? Please, it’s my sister. She got hit by a car,” she just about begged while tears streamed down her cheeks.

The woman stopped walking and turned around.

“Hi, yes, I’m Kara and this is my sister Alex,” Kara said, nodding her head down to her sister. “A car hit her, can you please make sure she’s okay, Miss…?”

“Arias,” the woman said. “Follow me.”

Kara nodded in gratitude, but she was confused when Miss Arias walked her into an empty room, which she was pretty certain was actually a supply closet. She wasn’t exactly familiar with hospitals, but this was weird.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kara couldn’t think straight. The hospital was filled with noises. It was overwhelming, but she tried to drown all of them out as much as she could to check on her sister. The nurse or doctor or whatever Miss Arias was exactly, had cleared a table for Alex to sit on. She pushed her glasses down her nose enough to see her sister didn’t have any broken bones or internal bleeding of any kind.

“This will sting a little,” Miss Arias said while she dabbed at Alex’s head wound with a piece of cotton which had some kind of product on it. “You seem brave, Alex.”

Kara paced back and forth, worrying her lip between her teeth while she kept glancing at her sister. Alex was sitting up okay and she wasn’t hissing, but she wasn’t convinced her sister was okay. It was quite a hit for a human to take. Alex was lucky she didn’t break anything. Oh Rao, her adoptive parents weren’t going to be happy. It was her fault, if she had watched better where she was going and hadn’t been so distracted, then her sister would have never had to push her out of the way to protect the fact she was an alien.

“You seem a little squeamish,” Alex said to Miss Arias, her voice a little bit gravelly. “Not a fan of blood?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Miss Arias chuckled. “I’ve seen worse,” she answered, finishing up cleaning Alex’s head wound. “How does your head feel?”

“Hurts,” Alex whispered. “Feels like I got hit by a car,” she added, smiling. “I think you’re smiling behind that mask of yours. Why are you wearing one? Are you a surgeon? You don’t look like a real doctor.”

“Guess who just lost their right to a lollipop.”

Alex laughed, but her laugh turned into a wince.

Kara bit her lip harder as she watched her sister touch her fingertips to her forehead.

“My chest hurts,” Alex whispered, hissing. “It-” She hissed again.

Kara looked her sister over again, but she couldn’t find anything. There were no broken ribs and she didn’t spot a bruise either. She felt new tears welling up for not being able to locate the problem.

“I think my ears are ringing,” Alex mumbled.

“You should pick up then,” Miss Arias replied, and Kara was starting to wonder if this woman was even taking this seriously. “I think you have a minor concussion,” she said, cupping Alex’s cheeks, to which Alex shuddered. “What’s your last name?”

“Danvers,” Kara answered in Alex’s place. “Our last name is Danvers. Is my sister going to be okay?”

“Alex Danvers,” Miss Arias whispered.

“Your eyes are really pretty,” Alex sighed, slumping back a little, but Miss Arias kept her from knocking the back of her head onto the table. “What’s your first name?”

“Your sister will live,” Miss Arias told Kara. “She needs to go to the first floor.”

“O-okay,” Kara replied, nodding her head a lot as she went to help Alex. She didn’t want her sister to stand, so she chose to carry her again. There was nothing strange about it, considering she was athletic and her sister was a lightweight.

When Kara reached the first floor, as Miss Arias had instructed, she saw Miss Arias was gone. She must have lost her on the way. “Um, excuse me?” she called out to the first hospital dressed person she saw. Rao, she really didn’t know which ones were nurses and which ones were doctors. “My sister got hit by a car and Miss, ah, Doctor Arias said to come to the first floor. Doctor Arias or nurse Arias, I’m not sure.”

“Sweetiepie, I have no idea who you’re talking about. There is no Doctor Arias at this hospital. My name is Doctor Griffin. I’ll have a look at you and your sister.”

Doctor Griffin fished a pager from her pocket. “Jackson, I’m staying a while longer. I have two girls with a possible concussion.”

“But I didn’t get hit,” Kara said, frowning as she followed Doctor Griffin. “There was…I, we…,” she trailed off, sighing, having a feeling her words would fall on deaf ears. Her sister knew there was a Miss Arias, who was either a doctor or a nurse, or something, and she knew it too, but this doctor didn’t believe her.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena was not one to gasp, but when Sam came home about an hour and a half after she did, with blood all over her shirt, she gasped. The blood looked and smelled fresh. Seven years without an incident from Sam instantly went down the drain.

Seven years ago, Sam had lost control of her thirst. She was out for a supply run back then and when she came back, Sam confessed she had killed four men who were camping in the woods. It was messy, but there was no risk of exposure. All witnesses were dead and she burned the bodies. Carpe Noctem caught wind of what happened, though they saw no need to intervene, considering no threat towards their kind was present.

Vampires were allowed to kill on the grounds there was no witness to expose them. Not all vampires chose to kill, most of her kind made do with blood bags they stole from hospitals. Surely, hospitals needed those, but if humans were to choose between their life or a bag of blood, she figured what her kind did was best for everyone. Each kill changed a vampire, for each kill, a piece inside of them died, too.

So far Sam ended nine lives, which was a low number for a newborn. Lena, on the other hand, wished she could say she lost count, but she never did. She remembered every life she took, all six-thousand six-hundred and sixty-six of them. It was a number she detested. It was high, even for having lived six-hundred and sixty-five years. During her first year as a vampire, she slaughtered an entire village.

“I’m sorry,” Sam whimpered. She was in tears and Lena caught her before she collapsed onto the floor. “Nobody saw me, I moved fast. I don’t want any trouble with Carpe Noctem.”

Lena lifted Sam and carried her to the couch. “I won’t let them lay a finger on you, not ever,” she said, and she meant it.

If Carpe Noctem made Sam a target, she would slaughter them all. She always put attachments past her, but she grew fond of Sam and she would die to protect her. Carpe Noctem was a small elite group consisting of a mere six people; three vampires, a witch, a metahuman and an alien. It was their task to take care of those whom risked exposing their kind and to ensure no war broke loose. She could take them on, not at once, but if she strategically picked them off one by one, she could.

“Tell me,” Lena whispered. Her hands were steady as she cupped Sam’s cheeks and wiped her tears. Not many vampires cried, but she knew how much Sam’s heart bled when something happened, how deeply she took it to heart.

“There was a girl at the hospital and I wanted to drink her blood so badly my fangs were hurting, but I left when I couldn’t take it anymore. She came in through the back exit with her sister, asking for my help,” Sam whimpered. “She was bleeding. I thought I was going to…but I didn’t want to hurt her. I don’t think I can hurt her. I’m not sure why, but I can’t.”

Lena lowered her hands to grasp Sam’s, squeezing while she listened to the rest of Sam’s explanation. It was unfortunate two confused girls walked in through the exit of the hospital rather than through the entrance.

“I did something terrible,” Sam sniffled. She looked down at the blood on her shirt and shuddered.

“Where?”

“In the alley behind the hospital,” Sam whispered. Tears pooled in her eyes while she shook like a leaf. “In the dumpster.”

Lena nodded. “I shall take care of it,” she assured Sam, cupping her jaw, caressing her cheek with her thumb. “I’ll make it go away. In the meantime, you will stay here and pick out a movie for us.”

Sam blinked. “You’re going to watch a movie with me?” she asked, blinking again when Lena nodded. “You hate movies.”

Lena did not hate movies even half as much as she hated seeing Sam cry. She could suffer through whichever terrible movie Sam chose, to keep her company and to console her. “Burn those clothes,” she said, unmoving when Sam grasped her wrist. She leaned forward and pressed her cold lips to Sam’s forehead, letting them linger for two seconds, to which Sam let go of her wrist. “I won’t be gone long.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara chewed the inside of her cheek more than she was chewing her food. Her sister needed to stay home until the end of next week, doctor’s orders. Alex was doing well, but she had a mild concussion. Her adoptive parents were disappointed in both of them for being so reckless, but it was her fault, not Alex’s.

“I miss having Al around,” Lucy said, sighing while she opened her soda. “I’m going to get her a get well card and get her a lil something.”

“That’s a great idea, Luce,” Imra said. “I can pitch in,” she offered.

“Yeah sure,” Lucy replied, taking a sip of her soda.

Kara poked around her lunch a little. It was sweet they were going to get a card and a present for Alex. She had a feeling her sister was going to like that. It was one of the customs on earth she enjoyed. On Krypton they had more means to heal people. They didn’t have a hospital, but they did have healers and advanced technology.

“You look like you didn’t sleep a wink,” Imra said to Lucy, who was now resting the side of her head in the palm of her hand.

“Ugh, you’re telling me,” Lucy muttered. “Superman saved a plane from crashing and Lois won’t shut up about it. She’s always going Superman this and Superman that. Man, even when shipped off to college she can’t shut up. Our video call lasted ages. I told her I’ve got a test today, but she talked half of the night anyway.”

Kara knew Lucy wasn’t close with her big sister, because Lucy felt like she was always in Lois’ shadow and her parents gave her the feeling she had to compete with Lois. It wasn’t fair to Lucy how her parents kept comparing her to her sister when she was a completely different person. Lucy was unique and had her own talents and things she was good at. She couldn’t grasp why a parent with more than one child would favor one over the other.

And the test, Rao, she completely forgot she had a history test today. With everything that had happened, she was distracted and didn’t study. She was going to flunk so bad, she hadn’t even written down all the notes.

“She wants to go work for the Daily Planet in Metropolis when she graduates at the end of this year,” Lucy said, sighing. “Superman is great I guess and he can lift a plane, but I’d take Wonder Woman over him any day.”

“For sure,” Imra agreed, frowning when Lucy chuckled.

“It’s funny when you say those words in that accent of yours, kind of cute. I dig it, you should talk more.”

“You’re not going to buy me a soda first?”

Lucy smiled. “Are you asking me to ask you on a date?” she asked, licking her lips. “When I want to ruin our friendship, I’ll let you know,” she said, winking.

Imra matched Lucy’s smile with her own. “You can’t ask me on a date if I ask you first.”

“Hm, the winter ball is coming up in a few months,” Lucy hummed. “I thought you were going with Kara though. Alright, I’ll bite, how about we go swimming this weekend?”

“Why do I get the feeling you just want to get me out of my clothes?”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Lucy admitted, smiling as Imra laughed.

Kara wondered if her friends were flirting with each other or if she was reading into it, but she was a little distracted to give it any more thought. She reached up to fumble with her necklace while she pondered how badly she was going to fail her history test, only to find it wasn’t there. She felt around her neck, but it was gone.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Imra asked Kara, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“My necklace is gone. It’s all I have left of my mother. I was wearing it and it’s gone now, and I don’t know where it is. Maybe I lost it somewhere in this building or maybe outside of it, I don’t know. It’s gone. My mother’s necklace is gone.”

“Slow down, Kar,” Lucy said, moving to sit next to Kara rather than across from her. “Take a deep breath. We’re going to help you find your necklace, okay?”

Kara tried not to break down into tears. Her chest tightened painfully at the thought of never seeing her mother’s necklace again. Four years of never losing sight of it and now it was gone, and she didn’t even know when and where she might have lost it.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was Friday and Lena was certain her students were eager to leave and enjoy their weekend, but some of the students had scored quite low on their test. She was not surprised, though she was disappointed. One particular student not only completely flunked it but also forgot to write their name. It was easy to figure out which one, considering there was only one left after she skimmed through the rest.

“Kara Danvers,” Lena said while the students packed up their things. “A word,” she demanded and as soon as the other students had gone, she closed the door.

Kara stood in front of Lena’s desk. She wrung her hands and she was staring at a random spot on the desk.

“I noticed you don’t seem to grasp what I’m teaching,” Lena started as she walked back to her desk. “Three-quarters of your test was blank and you didn’t write your name at the top.”

“I know I failed,” Kara said, her eyes slowly meeting Lena’s. “I’m not good at history and I’ve been really distracted. I’ve been trying to focus, but… but…”

Lena was perplexed by the tremor in the girl’s voice, by the way, unshed tears shone in her blue eyes. She had no intention of bringing Kara to tears. The girl who was possibly her soulmate – she was still on the fence about there being truth to the ancient rumor – was on the verge of tears and it made her feel a pain she had never experienced before.

Kara worried her lip between her teeth and adjusted her glasses. “My sister got hit by a car three days ago and it was my fault because she pushed me out of the way, and now she has a concussion, and I lost something valuable. It’s just been really hard. I… I forgot to study.”

Lena was frozen as Kara rambled on for what felt like at least five minutes. She understood now why the girl whom usually sat next to Kara had been absent. When the girl finished her ramble and stared at the floor, she opened her briefcase and pulled out a book.

“I want you to read this,” Lena said, holding the book out to the girl.

Her fingers brushed briefly with Kara’s. The girl’s fingers were warm, although she was not surprised. She practically smelled alien all over the girl. It explained why Kara was conversing with Imra so much about her not being human. Imra was an alien also, she picked it up on the day she chastised both girls for passing notes during class. Both of their scents were nuanced, though they were not of the same species, their scents were too distinctive for that.

“What happened to your sister is unfortunate,” Lena said, feeling her posture and her voice came out a little robotic and forced. “You may retake your test when your sister returns to take hers.”

The surprise on the girl’s face was not lost on her. While she was reluctant to give a second chance, she was not unreasonable and she understood Kara was under a lot of stress. She wanted her students to thrive rather than falter. Imra’s result was not too well either. It could be blamed on their foreign background.

“Thank you, Miss Luthor,” Kara said, zipping open her backpack, putting away the book. “Can I go now?”

Lena gestured at the door and watched on as Kara left. The girl had barely set a foot in the hall when she heard her talk to her friends. She heard Kara’s friends checking in with her, asking if she was okay. When the girl began to ramble about a lost necklace she had not found yet and how it was all she had left of her mother, she figured she lost her mother and was adopted by a family here in Midvale.

She remembered the necklace, having seen it around the girl’s neck on Monday and on Tuesday. It was saddening Kara lost it and while generally, she would not care about such things, she found she felt bad for the alien girl. If a necklace was all Kara had left of her mother, its value was priceless. She did not want the girl to suffer and hoped her lost item would soon be found.

 


	5. Chapter 5

“You can’t be serious about this,” Alex said while Kara stuffed her backpack with a cross, garlic, a silver blade and water she had asked Rao to bless.

“Miss Luthor is a vampire. I’m telling you, Alex, she is. She’s pale, which is just odd and-”

“Didn’t you say she told you she has a skin condition?” Alex pointed out. “Besides, some people are pale. It doesn’t mean she’s a vampire.”

“Her skin is cold because I felt it when her fingertips brushed mine when she handed me a book,” Kara replied, getting surer about her findings.

Alex sighed. “Not everyone has warm hands, Kara,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Okay, you don’t want to believe me and that’s fine, but how do you explain the fact she doesn’t have a heartbeat?”

Alex opened her mouth and immediately closed it again.

“See, you can’t, because she’s not human. Humans are supposed to have a pulse unless they’re dead. She’s not a zombie because she doesn’t look infected and she’s not a ghost because she’s not see-through, and if she was a demon she would be possessing students, I think? So she has to be a vampire who somehow can walk in the sun. I found stuff about daywalkers. They’re vampires capable of walking in the sun and before you say that’s just fiction, some people think aliens don’t exist either.”

Alex got up and rummaged through her makeup. “Here,” she said, tossing Kara a small pocket mirror. “If Miss Luthor is really a vampire, odds are she doesn’t have a reflection in mirrors. Just promise me you won’t do anything crazy like trying to stab her with that blade or something. God, if mom and dad knew I let you take that to school I’d never hear the end of it.”

“Oh Rao, I’m not going to attack her,” Kara replied, gasping. “These are not weapons, it’s, ah, for defense, if necessary.”

Kara plopped down on Alex’s bed, smiling softly when her sister moved to sit down next to her. She knew her sister was supposed to rest as much as possible. “Luce and Imra miss you at school,” she said, glancing at the bedside table where Alex had put the card Lucy and Imra gave her, along with the lava lamp they got her.

“I miss them, too,” Alex sighed, shifting until she was lying down. “Did you find your necklace yet?”

Kara bit her lip and shook her head. She didn’t say anything while her sister squeezed her hand. She didn’t want Alex to worry and the only reason she told her was because her sister noticed she wasn’t wearing it anymore, and Alex wanted to know why she cried at night.

“How about I help you look this weekend?” Alex offered. “Mom and dad are going to a bed and breakfast for their anniversary, so it’s just us.”

Kara wasn’t sure if she should agree to that. The doctor was very specific her sister had to rest and her adoptive parents already mentioned three times this morning alone Alex wasn’t allowed to leave the house because she couldn’t strain herself. They told her to stay home too, to keep an eye on her sister and to make sure she rested like she was supposed to.

“Maybe you lost it at the hospital,” Alex mumbled, humming. “It’s worth checking.”

“Oh Rao, Alex. What if the doctor sees you?” Kara replied, sighing because they could get in so much trouble if Doctor Griffin saw them and decided to call Eliza.

“Wait,” Kara said as a crinkle appeared between her eyebrows. “Is this because of that mysterious Miss Arias woman?”

“What? No!” Alex guffawed. Her cheeks reddened and she started to mutter-whisper words not even Kara could properly untangle.

“It’s strange we ran into a woman who doesn’t even work there,” Kara said, confused because that woman did send them to the right floor. “The closet thing was weird though, right? I mean, I’m not familiar with the things humans do in hospitals, but I’m pretty sure doctors don’t have a look at patients in a closet.”

Alex shrugged. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Anything,” Kara answered, nodding.

“Once mom and dad are gone, can you go to the library to pick up some books for me? I already finished the ones I borrowed last time and I still need to stay home for a week, so I could do with more books.”

Kara waited until her adoptive parents were gone before she snuck out to go to the library. It wasn’t such a bad thing because her sister read a lot and Alex had to do something to pass the time, and it was her fault her sister couldn’t go to school for another week. The least she could do was getting her anything she wanted.

A little under an hour later, she returned with five books she selected, but when she went up to her room, Alex was gone. The books dropped to the floor. Oh Rao, her sister tricked her. She sighed when she spotted a note on Alex’s bed how she shouldn’t worry and that she would be back soon. Right, she wasn’t worrying at all about her sister being outside while she was supposed to be in bed.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena was seated at her table, slowly enjoying a cup of blood. Sam, on the other hand, was drinking at such a rapid pace it was as if her life depended on it. “Are you going somewhere?” she asked when Sam got up.

“I just want to go for a walk and maybe I can get that supply run right this time.”

“Very well,” Lena replied, leaving Sam to do as she pleased.

It was not necessary for Sam to go on a supply run again, not after what happened last time. She was more than willing to go on one this weekend, but if Sam insisted she could handle it, she was not going to stop her. Sam was a free woman, capable of making her own decisions.

“Are you going to worry if I stay outside all night?”

Lena raised an eyebrow. “Should I?” she inquired, although a part of her always worried when Sam was gone. She held herself accountable for her friend and would hate for something terrible to happen to her.

“I’ll see you at dawn,” Sam whispered.

Lena froze when Sam kissed her cheek. “You know, for a vampire, you’re particularly soft,” she said as she brought her cup closer to her lips.

“I could say the same about you, Miss Carpe Noctem ranked me a thirteen, but I’ll cuddle on the couch and watch movies with you,” Sam quipped, grinning while Lena narrowed her eyes. “It’s not a bad thing to have a heart, to care.”

Lena finished the remains of her drink as she listened to Sam leaving. Having a heart was a bad thing. It meant she was vulnerable. If an enemy failed to touch someone, they could always touch those closest to them. While her list of enemies was slim, it was there, though only a fool with nothing to lose would ever risk angering her.

She got up and made her way down to her lab. The rickety elevator moved and she found herself thinking of Kara. Her chest ached all over again, recalling the genuine sadness in the girl’s voice, eyes and posture. All she wanted was to see Kara smile, to catch a glimpse of that careless joy, as if there was not a single thing in the world to be concerned about.

“You can come out now,” Lena spoke up as she set foot in her lab. She turned to look at the wall the moment the curtain slid open. “I did not ask you to undress. Put your clothes back on. You will do as I say or there will be consequences.”

Her fangs appeared when barefooted steps came up behind her. “For your sake, I hope you heeded my warning,” she said, hearing the footsteps falter. She had no tolerance for disobedience and she was not going to repeat herself. Seduction was a tactic which was lost on her.

As she slowly turned around, she was pleased to find her words had the desired result. “Hop onto the table,” she instructed, pointing at the nearby table. A hand came up, but hers was much faster, her reflexes were far more refined. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she said flatly while she tightened her grip. “Do I need to restrain you or will you behave?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex felt like a thief in the night as she entered the hospital through the back. To be fair, she was recounting the steps she took with her sister in search of the necklace Kara lost. It was crazy how four years ago, she refused to jump a puddle for her and now she was at a point where she jumped in front of a car for her. She was only one month Kara’s elder, though she often had to hear how Kara got stuck in the Phantom Zone for more than two decades where she didn’t age, so Kara insisted she was the older one.

Her parents didn’t need to remind her anymore to look after Kara. Lately, it was something she did automatically and having a sister wasn’t so bad. Kara was a little weird at times and sure Kara often ate parts of her dessert if not all of it, and sometimes Kara snuck into her bed for cuddles which were entirely too tight, but she loved her sister. She accepted Kara the way she was and she hoped sincerely Kara would accept her too, once she learned she wasn’t the kind of person she pretended to be.

There was something she hadn’t told her friends and family, although she had the unsettling feeling Imra sensed what it was. She was almost sure Lucy and Imra weren’t going to react poorly, but the very idea of telling them made her want to vomit, that was how nervous she felt.

By the time she went back outside, she bumped into someone. Her breath came out in a quick gush as strong arms circled around her to steady her. “You,” she said, gulping at the way Miss Arias had her dipped.

“Alex Danvers,” Miss Arias mused, setting Alex down properly. “Are you here to spy on me?”

Alex smiled and she felt slightly busted. “I’m here to look for something my sister lost, don’t flatter yourself.”

“I take it it’s not her tongue she lost and from the sound of it, you haven’t lost yours either.”

Alex huffed out a laugh at how well this woman knew both of them already. “Maybe I hoped you’d be around,” she conceded.

She slipped her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and leaned the back of her shoe against the wall. Maybe she was crazy or maybe everything Kara had been rambling about had gone to her head, but it was very unusual how Miss Arias used the back of the hospital to enter. It was also strange how the woman had walked them into a closet, how she disappeared after and how cold her fingers had been. Plus, there was something about her eyes, a red glint in them. She retrieved a little pocket mirror she took with her.

“You’re a vampire,” Alex whispered when she didn’t see the woman reflecting into the mirror.

Miss Arias placed her hands on either side of Alex’s head.

“I know you won’t hurt me. If you wanted to, you would have sooner,” Alex said, calmly pocketing her mirror. “But if you’re going to bite me, you could at least tell me your name.”

Miss Arias’ lips curved up into a smile. “I could,” she replied, taking a step back. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to though,” she added, taking several more steps.

“Okay, Miss cheeky,” Alex chuckled, blushing when the woman looked her up and down.

Her pulse quickened when the vampire was suddenly right in front of her. It happened so fast, she didn’t even see her move. A cold finger trailed down her jaw. Those hazel eyes turned red and when the woman worked her jaw, she saw fangs. The vampire winced, making her wonder if she was thirsty, how often she had to feed and when she last fed.

“If I tell you my name, are you going to look up how old I am?” Miss Arias asked with a sideways smile.

“I could take a wild guess, but I don’t want to get banged up when I’m already pretty banged up,” Alex answered, and when the woman smirked at her, she gaped. “Because I got hit by a car,” she added, her voice embarrassingly high-pitched.

“You can’t tell anyone what you know. It’s not safe for you,” Miss Arias whispered in Alex’s ear. If the vampire heard Alex’s racing heart, she was gracious enough not to tease her about it. “My name is Sam.”

“Sam,” Alex whispered, testing her name on her tongue.

She sighed when Sam sped off, but in the blink of an eye, Sam was back and she was holding her hand, and she was quite sure this was how she might die. Sam’s hand was cold, but her grip was soft and gentle.

“It’s dark out,” Sam said while she seemed to survey the area, answering the question Alex hadn’t even voiced yet. “I’ll walk you home.”

Alex huffed a little, though she smiled. “I can protect myself, you know?” she said, plus she knew Midvale and this wasn’t the first time she was outside at night by herself.

“You have a concussion, I’m not taking any chances.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara was in the hall during lunch to get something from the vending machine, but when she saw Miss Luthor walking up to her while looking right at her, she ran off into the bathroom on a whim. It didn’t make much sense, considering she was strong and there was no sign her teacher meant to attack, but she blamed it on the spur of the moment.

She was emptying her backpack onto the bathroom floor, heart racing when Miss Luthor suddenly walked in. Her teacher was looking at her strangely as if she was trying to figure out why she ran off like a scared little lamb.

“How are you able to enter?” Kara asked without thinking much, confused because she read vampires needed explicit permission before they could enter.

“You are questioning how I am able to enter a public school bathroom?”

Kara groaned. Rao, of course, Miss Luthor already had access to set foot anywhere inside of this building. She definitely didn’t think that one through, though in her defense she didn’t know her teacher would be walking around in the halls. Everything that was inside of her backpack was now scattered onto the floor. When Miss Luthor took a step, she held up her fingers, trying to shape them right.

Miss Luthor stopped. “Are you making a cross with your fingers?”

Kara huffed and reached for the special water and the pocket mirror, but her hands stilled when she noticed Miss Luthor was trying to give her something. She held her breath when Miss Luthor’s gloved hand – _why was she wearing gloves?_ – reached into her pocket, pulling something out.

Miss Luthor revealed a shiny object. “This is the necklace you lost, correct?”

Kara’s lip quivered. “My mother’s necklace,” she whispered, feeling tears sting in her eyes. She thought she lost her necklace forever. “Thank you!” she whisper-shouted, so relieved to have it back she slipped up and hugged her unsuspecting history teacher, who tensed up.

“Oh… god,” Kara breathed out, mortified as she took a step back. The burn in her chest was present, but the sensation was tenfold this time. Oh Rao, it hurt. Was Miss Luthor doing that to her? Was it because of the hug? “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking, I just… I, ah, thank you.”

Miss Luthor grasped Kara’s hand and turned her palm up, placing the silver necklace in it. “Are you frightened of me?” she asked, letting go the moment Kara’s hand shook a little.

“Yes,” Kara answered without thinking. “I mean, no. No, I’m not, I, uh, erm,” she said, working her jaw while Miss Luthor stared at her with an unreadable look on her face. The way her history teacher looked into her eyes made her shudder. It was as if Miss Luthor was trying to look into her very soul.

“You know what I am,” Miss Luthor said, and Kara gulped because if she had any trace of doubt, it was gone now. “I know what you are, too,” she added, and oh Rao, that was particularly frightening. “Perhaps you wish to keep your adoptive sister, her quirky friend, and your Saturn friend, out of this.”

Kara’s fear took place for something else as she put her hands on her hips. “Are you threatening my sister and my friends?” she asked, subconsciously taking a step closer to Miss Luthor. “If you want to hurt them, you’ll have to go through me first,” she said with a newfound determination.

“I would never hurt the people you care about,” Miss Luthor answered while she stepped back until her back hit the wall. Kara hadn’t realized she was backing her teacher up against the wall, but now she did. “I won’t hurt you and I won’t fight you, Kara.”

“So if I punched you, you wouldn’t do anything?” Kara asked, confused when Miss Luthor simply stared at her. Rao, she didn’t even blink. “Not… not that I’m going to do that,” she added, sighing. “But how do I know you’re not lying?”

“You don’t,” Miss Luthor answered, unmoving, even when Kara knew she was standing too close. “Allow me to rephrase my previous words. You may wish to keep them out of this goose hunt you started before this situation gets out of control. If word comes out, they will be in danger. Surely you understand I’m not the only one of my kind.”

“Oh Rao, you really are a vampire,” Kara whispered, amazed that this was real. She touched Miss Luthor’s arm, fixated on how cold she felt, but then she blushed. “I… I’m so-sorry,” she stammered, removing her hand from her teacher’s arm immediately. “I get too curious sometimes. Rao, there’s so much… Research can’t compare to this. People always say vampires are a myth. You’re incredible, I mean the fact you’re a vampire is incredible. You don’t look so scary. Maybe a little intimi- erm, you look so, beau- human I guess.”

“Are you trying to dissect me with your lingering looks?”

“Lingering?” Kara asked, feeling her cheeks warm up more. “I’m not… I wasn’t, that’s not…,” she tried, shocked when Miss Luthor laughed. The sound made her heart burn, but despite the burn, she wanted to hear her laugh more.

“Adorable,” Miss Luthor whispered very quietly, but Kara heard it anyway. “I should go so you can continue to shake the vending machine for snacks. I’d hate for you to starve.”

Kara was stunned because she had a feeling Miss Luthor was teasing her and the sinful smirk on her face wasn’t helping. “I wasn’t shaking it… much,” she replied, pouting. “The thingy got stuck, I just wanted what was rightfully mine. It ate my money, so I deserve to eat my snack. I was gently encouraging the machine to give it to me.”

Her eyes lingered on Miss Luthor when she walked out and oh Rao, maybe she did give her lingering looks. It was unfair her history teacher was insanely attractive. She gathered her things and when she scrambled out into the hall, she caught Miss Luthor giving the vending machine a well-aimed kick and just like that, half of the snacks fell onto the floor.

“Are you serious?” Kara asked, gawking when Miss Luthor looked over her shoulder and winked at her. “That’s stealing, you know. I didn’t pay for all those snacks,” she pointed out, sighing when her teacher walked away.

She scooped up all of the snacks, thinking what a waste it would be to leave them on the floor, groaning when she heard Miss Luthor whispering, “You’re welcome.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

Lena nudged Sam with her elbow. They were sitting on the couch together after Sam had insisted to watch a documentary together. “You’ve been staring into your cup all night,” she said, glancing at her own almost empty cup.

During the years she spent with Sam, she learned Sam was slow to drink when she was lost in her head or when something was bothering her. She also noticed Sam gave the documentary zero attention. It was obvious to her this was never about watching something together. Considering vampires need not sleep, she could sit on the couch all night long.

“I’ve been thinking,” Sam said, eyes still focused on the red liquid in her cup.

Lena sipped from her cup and shifted to turn her body more fully towards Sam, wanting her to know she was here and that she was listening.

Sam averted her eyes from her cup and shifted to mimic the way Lena was sitting. “The ancient rumor claims there is a soulmate for each one of us,” she said, to which Lena’s eyes widened minutely. “I was wondering if it’s true if it’s really more than a rumor. I know you always told me it’s a lie to give false hope and how some hold on to it like a crutch.”

Lena set her cup aside and folded her hands on her lap. Even with her recent findings since the day she laid eyes upon Kara, she remained skeptical and reluctant to believe. She had tangible proof yet it seemed a cruel joke of sorts.

She moved to sit closer to Sam and placed a hand on her knee. “What do you believe?”

Sam did drink from her cup, then. She took a large sip and another. When Lena’s hand came up to cup her jaw, she closed her eyes. “According to the rumor, Gabriel visited a witch with the request for a soul. He wanted a purpose so he wouldn’t wander around aimlessly for all of eternity. Others say the witch wanted to help but was hesitant to lift the curse. Gabriel didn’t get a soul, he got the promise there was a soulmate for each one of us, that we somehow deserved a second chance by finding true love.”

Lena watched as Sam opened her eyes. Rumors were generously splurged around. What puzzled her was why Sam was giving this particular rumor any thought. Vampires need not be lonely. If Sam craved intimacy, she had no doubt handfuls of their kind would line up for her. Then again, if Sam sought something permanent, she had too much of a heart to wind up with another vampire, considering vampires were heartbreakers. Romantic love was rare for vampires, it felt too human.

“I know I already got a second chance,” Sam whispered, the look on her face so crestfallen Lena wanted to hold her and absorb every bit of pain she had ever felt since the day she was born.

“I believe in it,” Sam said finally. “At first I didn’t want to, but is it really such a bad thing to have hope?”

Lena bit back her initial response how such hope was foolish and bound to end up hurting. She was not going to crush the little light Sam had inside of her. “No, it’s not such a bad thing,” she answered, feeling conflicted as Sam gave her a small smile. “What changed your mind?”

Sam leaned back and emptied the remains of her cup. “What changed yours?” she asked, smirking.

Lena sat there, stoic, sensing Sam was trying to hide something. It was odd Sam deflected her question and while it was not the first time, not even close, it was different this time. “You’re entitled to your own beliefs,” she answered, not surprised to find her question went unanswered.

Sam got up and for someone who was close to sulking not so long ago, she was rather chipper now. “I’m going for a walk, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said with a smile which reached her eyes.  

Lena stood up just as Sam’s hand was at the door. It was as clear as day her friend was seeing someone. If Sam was not willing or ready to share more with her, she could live with that. Everyone had secrets. Sam was entitled to hers, however, whoever it was Sam was seeing if they dared crush that light in Sam’s eyes, she was going to destroy them in the most painful way possible.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Miss Luthor told Kara she wasn’t going to hurt her or fight her, but she wondered why. When her teacher said it, she hadn’t given it much thought, not in that exact moment at least, but afterward, she did and now she couldn’t get it out of her head. Miss Luthor even went as far as to say she would never hurt the people she cared about.

It was possible her teacher wasn’t out to hurt anyone, but the way she said it, the sincerity in her voice, made her think it wasn’t just a random general statement. She also figured Miss Luthor must have eavesdropped to find out she lost her necklace and then for some reason she also couldn’t put her finger on, Miss Luthor found her necklace for her.

The fact her teacher was wearing gloves when she handed her necklace to her confirmed she was vulnerable to silver. At first, she was worried Miss Luthor was some kind of threat, but now she was curious to learn more about her, to find out what made her tick. It helped that she could stare at her all class long with the excuse she was simply paying attention to what she was teaching. And she was, kind of, although she was also studying Miss Luthor.

Oh Rao, her history teacher had such a sharp jawline. Aphrodite must have carved it herself. Her eyebrows were perfectly manicured. She wondered if Miss Luthor ever had to pluck her eyebrows or if they naturally stayed that way. She wasn’t sure if she was the kind of vampire whom could alter her looks or not, whether she could cut her hair or not.

“Turn to page thirty-seven,” Miss Luthor said, a book opened in her hands as she stood at the front of the class.

Kara sighed quietly upon hearing Miss Luthor’s beautiful voice. She wasn’t sure where to place the accent she heard slipping into her teacher’s sentences every now and again. She got so distracted watching her, she forgot to turn to page thirty-seven. If the school suddenly decided her history class should last a whole day rather than an hour or two, she could live with that.

“When I call your name, you will read the first paragraph,” Miss Luthor said, eyes flickering briefly towards Kara before she averted them again. It was such a fleeting moment, but Kara’s heart skipped a beat regardless. “On page thirty-seven,” she added, punctuating her words so much Kara snapped out of her trance enough to skip to the right page.

“Imra Ardeen,” Miss Luthor said.

“Yes, bless you for this gift,” Lucy said, just loud enough for the rest of the class to hear and for her to bury her hands in her hair as they laughed. “Fuck my life,” she muttered.

One of the students cupped his hands next to his mouth and loudly said, “Gay.”

“I’m bisexual, you moron,” Lucy blurted out. “Argh, fuck, fucking great,” she mumbled under her breath when some students made ooh and aah sounds.

“Silence,” Miss Luthor demanded sharply. Her jaw tensed to which the students promptly quieted down. “Considering some of you enjoy ooh-ing so much, you can ooh again when you see how poorly you’re flunking this class. And then next year when I have to see your faces again, you’ll know what it’s like when someone ooh’s at you as in ooh, you again, didn’t you take this class last year, too?”

Lucy’s jaw dropped and she turned to look at Imra and Kara with the biggest smile. “Best teacher ever,” she whispered in Imra’s ear.

Kara felt her heart skip another beat and oh Rao, something about Miss Luthor made her heart malfunction. When Imra started reading aloud, she tried to follow on the page in her book. She knew Lucy liked Imra’s accent, which was not something the other students had to laugh at Lucy for. She didn’t understand why some of her peers made sounds when Lucy said she was bisexual.

The class was fairly quiet now aside from Imra reading, some rustling, and the various heartbeats.

When she looked up, her eyes met Miss Luthor’s eyes and she found she couldn’t look away. It felt as if there was an invisible pull of sorts, like some kind of force was trying to draw her closer towards the vampire. This time she couldn’t even blame it on paying attention. Her eyes were supposed to be on her book, not on her teacher.

Miss Luthor nodded her head down at Kara’s opened book on her desk and Kara sheepishly looked down.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena opened her closet and reached for her dark green cape. She swung it around her shoulders and clicked the clip into place before pulling the hood over her head. Sam was not around, which made it easier to leave unnoticed. It was almost midnight. She had little time left, but she was fast. Fast enough to outrun any car and any train.

Not needing sleep while having an endless amount of stamina truly had its perks. Humans, metahumans, witches, and aliens all had in common they had to sleep to recharge. She had a room with a bed, for whenever she wished to lie down for a while, but she never slept a wink and she never dreamt.

After ensuring no eyes were on her, she ran to Twin Peaks and came to a stop when she arrived at a castle in ruins. The ceiling had long caved in. All of the plants and flowers were withered due to abandonment. Several of the stone tiles on the courtyard were cracked and the water fountain produced polluted water. Long ago, this place used to be gorgeous and in its former glory, it was used for galas.

“You are late,” Lena whispered when lithe footsteps approached from a mile away. “Were you followed?”

The other vampire came up to Lena. She was wearing a red dress and heels, no wonder Veronica arrived late. “No, I double checked,” she answered, halting two steps away from Lena.

Lena did not pick up on any unusual sounds, which satisfied her enough to trust their transaction would pass without a hiccup, as usual. She pushed her cape aside, grabbing a thermos she had kept in her belt.

“If you ever dare to betray or cross me, I will rip out your heart with my bare hands and crush it,” Lena warned while she looked into Veronica’s eyes. “After which I’ll do the same to everyone you hold dear.”

“Short list,” Veronica whispered, eyeing the thermos.

“There is enough in there to last you another month,” Lena said as she handed over the thermos filled with the potion which allowed vampires to walk among the mundane in the middle of the day. “Which intel do you have for me this time?”

She knew from experience Veronica was a snake in the grass. It did not take much to gather information through her. She had a history of sorts with Veronica, which was helpful, and her various creations were equally helpful. She knew Veronica had a close relationship with Raven Reyes, a young woman who happened to be Carpe Noctem’s witch.

“They’re looking for someone. It’s highly classified. Someone who went off the grid, I’m not sure when,” Veronica whispered while she stood on the other side of the courtyard, presumably to make a run for it if necessary. “Brainy is restless. He said they need to find her.”

Lena was surprised Brainy was restless. Carpe Noctem’s alien was generally energetic, but not restless. She had a feeling they were looking for the one she kept in her laboratory. “Looking for whom?” she asked, voice casual and calm.

“I didn’t get a name. I’m not even sure if it’s a vampire they’re looking for. If I pry too much, they will discover I spied on them.”

Lena could ask Carpe Noctem questions herself, but her aim was to avoid drawing attention. She need not question the elite group when others were easily bribed into doing it for her. “Anything else?” she inquired, fairly certain Veronica was aware she was looking for specific information, though she never gave away what she was looking for and Veronica seemed clever enough not to question her.

“Yes, they’re eliminating one of our kind tomorrow,” Veronica answered, which got Lena’s attention.

“Who are they eliminating, and why?”

“Grace Parker. She’s a doctor from National City. Someone bit her and didn’t finish the job. She’s been killing patients. It’ll be quite the cleanup.”

Lena nodded and absorbed the little information Veronica had left to share before taking her leave. It was pitiful a doctor had to take the fall for the mistake of another. She was mildly surprised when Veronica mentioned the vampire whom bit the woman was staked and burned for it. It made her think of the mess she cleaned up for Sam after Sam left the body of a doctor in the dumpster behind the hospital. If that had gotten out of hand, Carpe Noctem would be going after Sam.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara chewed on her pen. She was trying to learn everything word for word, but even with the drive to do well for history, it was still a struggle. She had been studying for three hours without taking a break. Rao, she hadn’t even stopped to grab a bite to eat, although she was planning on it soon because she was starving.

“I’ve never seen you so invested in studying history before,” Alex commented. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing, I just want to show Miss Luthor I appreciate it she’s letting me retake the test, that’s all. I hope I can pass this time. It would be a good way to say thank you to her for being so understanding. I flunked the first time and I want to make up for that. She wants me to pass and I want that, too. She wants what’s best for every student because she’s a good teacher. She cares.”

Alex closed her book. “I thought you were obsessed with her-”

“I’m not obsessed with her!” Kara guffawed.

“-being a vampire,” Alex finished, eyeing Kara strangely. “When you stuffed your backpack with all of those random things, I half-thought you were going to stab her.”

“I was never going to stab her, Alex,” Kara replied, sighing. “Oh Rao… she, ah, she gave me back my necklace. She found it and she brought it back to me. All I want is to show her I can make an effort, too.”

She glanced at the drawn curtains. Ever since the accident, she didn’t open them when she woke up anymore because she wanted Alex to sleep as much as she needed. Her sister was wide awake now though and she could do with some sunlight. With a smile, she opened them and basked into the pleasant feeling of the sunlight on her skin.

Her smile dissipated when she heard Alex wince. She turned around, frowning at the sight of her sister rubbing her temples. “Alex? What’s wrong?” she asked, rushing over to her side. “Are you having a headache again?”

According to the hospital, her sister should have been fine by now and on Monday Alex should be ready to go back to school. Her sister hadn’t complained about a headache or anything else the past two to three days, so it worried her that she seemed unwell now.

“Close those curtains, you demon,” Alex muttered, managing a small smile.

Kara knew Alex wanted to make light out of the situation, but her concern was still present. She did hurry to close the curtains.

“My head feels a bit fuzzy,” Alex sighed. “The sun only makes it worse.”

Kara sat down next to her sister. She still felt guilty Alex got hit by a car because she was too distracted to notice. As a result of that accident, her sister had been keeping their room dark. At first, it was for the best, but by now Alex should be good to let some sunlight in, to get those vitamins she needed.

Alex grasped Kara’s hand before Kara could leave to go downstairs. “Don’t tell mom and dad, I don’t want them worrying,” she whispered, giving Kara a pleading look. “It’s bad enough you’re worrying about me.”

“But what if your concussion didn’t get better yet?”

“I feel fine,” Alex answered, sighing as she shifted until her head was on Kara’s lap. She smiled while Kara combed her fingers through her hair. “Believe it or not, but lately I’ve been feeling a lot better than I used to. I feel like I've been reborn.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

The bell rang, freeing Lena from her students as they scrambled away to enjoy their lunch break. She was ready for hers also and happened to be rather thirsty. There was a spike in her thirst recently, which urged her to bring two thermoses filled with blood to school rather than one.

Every student was leaving, every single one, except Kara. She noted with a frown the girl dropped her pens to stall. No matter how casual Kara was trying to play it off, she was not smooth about it. She waited while the girl told her friends she would catch up with them later.

“Hey, Miss Luthor,” Kara said, shuffling her feet over the floor while Lena closed the door and the blinds. “Can I have a word with you?”

Lena moved to sit behind her desk. She knew Kara’s eyes were flitting between the closed door and the blinds. “Yes,” she answered as she put her definition of a lunch onto her desk.

She wondered if Kara was going to make a face and run out of her classroom, but instead, the girl gave her a broad smile, grabbed a chair and sat down across from her. The lunch Kara unpacked smelled terrible. She barely remembered what food tasted like when she was human. It was unimaginable to her to consume anything other than blood or red wine mixed with blood.

Another benefit of being a vampire was she could not become intoxicated. It was a relief she was capable of enjoying an occasional glass of wine, which tasted absolutely divine depending on the type of blood she mixed it with.

“You gave me a B plus on that history test,” Kara said while she set out the rest of her lunch, apparently having decided she was eating lunch with Lena.

Lena had half a heart to tell Kara to leave, but she found she was incapable of brushing her off, despite the invading stench of the sandwiches the girl was digging into. “I did, you earned it,” she replied, pleased Kara passed.

“I never got a B plus in history before, not even a C,” Kara said, staring when Lena drank from her thermos. She gasped when Lena’s fangs appeared. “How sharp are your fangs? Can I feel or is that… that’s too weird, isn’t it?”

Lena took another sip. Before she could form an answer, Kara was talking again. The girl told her how she grew up with Krypton’s history and how she knew nothing of the history here on earth. She understood there were students whom could not care less about history, given they wanted to focus on the present and the future, but history was important. One day, this very year was bound to be a part of history.

“You must know a lot about history,” Kara said, not even hiding how much she was staring while she practically gaped at Lena. “As a history teacher, you must have a lot of knowledge.”

Kara was hanging onto her very lips when Lena retold a tale from something which took place well over a century ago. She hoped having the girl’s genuine interest for what she was saying would help Kara to fair well better in her class, though she felt a twinge of pride the girl scored a B plus on her test.

“Oh Rao, you must be really old,” Kara whispered with amazement.

Lena raised a brow. “Excuse me?” she asked, almost smiling at how Kara instantly shrunk under her intense gaze.

Her age was a topic she generally did not appreciate in the slightest. Being referred to as old was quite offensive and false. She was not old. She was physically twenty-four and never aged a day. While she had no doubt Kara meant no harm, it was rather unpleasant to hear.

“I… I mean, um, that sounded kind of rude I guess. Oops?”

“Oops?” Lena inquired, unsure whether to chuckle or respond in a stern manner.

“I didn’t mean old as in old. What I meant to say is you’ve lived an old life. Oh Rao, wait, that doesn’t sound right either. I’m amazed you experienced so many things and I feel like we could sit somewhere for hours and you could just tell me more about history. Hours wouldn’t really cover it, because I would get hungry and then I’d need a break to get some food. History is different when I hear it from you instead of having to read it somewhere. Rao, you must have met so many people.”

“You don’t breathe often, do you?” Lena asked, smiling when Kara blushed. “It’s cute. Ramble as much as you please, though do finish your lunch.”

“Are you worried I’ll walk out of your classroom hungry when this lunch break is over?”

Lena said nothing while Kara stuffed her face. The girl walking out hungry was merely one-half of her concerns. The sooner Kara finished her lunch, the sooner she no longer had to put up with the disgusting smell of it. Vampires could not stomach so much as the smell of food.

“I dabbled a little here and there, though I wouldn’t say I properly met many people,” Lena said, thinking how the number of people she fed of was much higher than the amount of people she met. She sincerely hoped the former was not something which might come up in a passing conversation.

Kara hummed and swallowed down a mouthful of food. “Have you ever met any scientists? There must be so many here on earth. On Krypton we had a fair amount of them. We had something called a science guild. I was going to be a part of it, but then...,” she explained, sighing. “Krypton is gone and I’m here, that’s the main gist of it.”

Lena was intrigued how easily Kara shared parts of herself with her. “You seem to be drawn to science.”

“You don’t say.”

Lena’s lips parted while she eyed Kara curiously, watched as a smile formed on her face. “You’re going to sass me now?” she asked, shocked by how easy it was to fall into something comfortable with this girl. “I taught science more than once in the past, you know, considering I’m _really_ old.”

Kara spluttered. “I didn’t… that’s not…,” she said, eyes wide. “Oh Rao, you won’t allow me to live that one down, will you?”

“I’m immortal, darling,” Lena replied, her tongue quicker than herself. She mentally cursed herself for slipping up. Hoping Kara had not noticed was futile, seeing how the girl looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

“I met a fair share of scientists,” Lena shared, relieved when Kara took the bait and burst into a ramble about science.

“Oh Rao, I talk too much, don’t I?” Kara asked mid-ramble, giggling. “What kind of scientists did you meet?”

“In 1672, I met Sir Isaac Newton. There was a Royal Society. It was a group of scientists. I was there when he presented one of his telescopes.”

“1672,” Kara whispered, making a thinking face.

“Choose your next words very carefully,” Lena warned, biting back a smile. She consumed the remains of her lunch; pleasantly surprised Kara made no comments or remarks.

“How come you don’t burn in the sun? Are you a daywalker?”

“I’m not a daywalker,” Lena answered, finding the confusion written all over Kara’s face quite adorable.

“But…how?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Lena asked, humored when Kara pouted.

“I’m older than I look, too,” Kara said out of the blue. “It’s not really the same as you, but before I came to earth I got stuck in the Phantom Zone. It’s a region in space where time doesn’t pass. So I was kind of frozen in time, but I was awake and I was conscious. I was thirteen back then.”

Lena caught on to an undertone of sadness. Even if Kara did not tell her everything word for word, she knew the girl was there alone, in space, for the time she was stuck. It must have been an incredibly lonely experience, especially for someone who seemed more alive when she was able to interact with people.

“If I didn’t get stuck then-” Kara stopped and fidgeted with her glasses. “I don’t mind I got stuck, otherwise my life would have been different. I have my sister, I have Eliza and Jeremiah, I have Imra and I have, erm, I met a vampire.”

Lena wondered if Kara felt the soulmate connection she felt. The girl had to feel something; otherwise, there was no way her chest appeared to hurt at times when she felt a pang inside of hers. This very moment felt as if an attachment was in the making, which was both refreshing and welcome while also something she did not approve of and wanted to stay away from.

“I’m not supposed to talk about Krypton or any of that, but I can talk about it with Imra and my sister, and now with you as well. You know what I am and I know what you are, and I think we can just talk and trust each other. It feels nice to be able to talk about it with someone. Rao, there’s so much I want to ask you.”

“Kara?”

Kara’s eyes studied Lena’s features. “Mhmm?” she hummed.

“You’re still wondering how old I am, aren’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kara answered, glancing away. “Wait, can you read minds? Hm, your skin doesn’t sparkle in the sun.”

Lena pushed her chair back so hard it knocked into the board. Twilight was a terrible movie Sam had her watch when she ruined their first television. It angered her to ever be compared to vampires who sparkled in the sun. Vampires did not sparkle in the sun. They burned and exploded unless they drank the right potion to give them temporary immunity.

Kara made a face. “Oh Rao, I struck a chord, didn’t I? I’m sorry, I don’t know much about vampires and I have a lot to learn,” she said, sighing while she gathered her things. “Lunch break must be almost over, so I should go.”

Lena felt her anger wash away. She pushed her hand against the door before Kara could open it. “I’m not going to bite you, Kara. Regardless of how tasty aliens are,” she said, chuckling when the girl’s jaw dropped. “That was a joke.”

“You have a little…,” Kara whispered as she thumbed at Lena’s chin. “There, all better,” she said with a smile.

Lena had no idea what to think of Kara, considering when she approached her to give her necklace back, she ran away and now Kara wiped a smudge of blood off her chin as if it were ketchup. It was foreign being touched by someone out of the blue without freezing or snapping.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The winter dance slowly closed in. Everyone in the cafeteria was talking about it and asking people out to the dance. Kara agreed to go with Kenny. He was a nice guy and when he politely asked her if he could take her to the dance, she didn’t see why not.

Lucy mentioned something about going to the dance with Winn, some IT guy who had fixed her computer for her and had gone nuts when she gave him a Star Wars collectible she had lying around for it.

Alex scraped her chair over the floor and sighed as she sat down. “Maxwell asked me to the dance,” she said, causing Kara to make a face because Kara knew how much that guy was trying to advance on her sister. “I said yes.”

“You’re going to the dance with that piece of slime?” Lucy asked, scoffing. “You’re out of your damn mind, Al. You sure you no longer got that concussion?”

Kara was just as stunned as Lucy was Alex said yes to Maxwell. It didn’t make any sense to her. She was pretty sure her sister hated his guts and that she would rather die than be near him.

Alex made a non-committal sign. “What is Imra doing?” she asked, staring to their right where Imra was walking over to another table.

Lucy opened her mouth to answer, but Imra answered that question enough when she spoke up loud enough for them to hear.

Alex just about choked on her drink the second Imra asked Eve if she wanted to go to the winter dance with her.

Kara smiled at how Eve was blushing and smiling. Eve was a nice girl. She didn’t know her well, but on more than one occasion, Eve shared cookies she baked at home and they were delicious. It was sweet hearing Eve say yes to Imra.

Imra walked back to their table and sat down next to Alex, looking at the bits of water Alex had spilled onto the table.

“You were asked out by two guys and you said no to both of them,” Alex said, giving Imra a puzzled look. “One of those guys is very…handsome.”

Imra smiled. “I prefer to go with Eve because she’s a sweet girl,” she replied, smiling more as she waved at Eve who was waving at her. “I’m not interested in going to the winter dance with a douchebag who’s merely looking to score.”

Lucy coughed. “Maxwell,” she mumbled, coughing again.

“But Eve is…,” Alex said, falling silent as she bit her lip.

“A junior, I know,” Imra said, squeezing Alex’s upper arm to which Alex relaxed. “One year younger than me is not an issue, though I have no further plans other than having a dance with her. I’m more likely to date someone my age or slightly older, perhaps.”

“You should date a college chick,” Lucy commented. “I hooked up with one of those during the summer. No regrets.”

Alex’s jaw went slack. “What the hell happened during that week and a half I was at home?”

“At home,” Kara muttered, containing a scoff. She caught her sister sneaking out more than once. Rao, Alex even climbed out of the window and onto the roof to climb down the pipe, because for some inane reason her sister was going on nightly walks as if it was normal for someone with a concussion to go for a stroll at midnight.

“I’ve been back less than a month and now you’re...,” Alex stopped and guiltily looked down at the table.

“And now I’m gay?” Lucy asked, huffing out a laugh. “How dense and naïve are you, Al? First off, I’m bi. Secondly, I’ve hinted at it lots of times. And lastly, it’s not something that happened out of the blue. It’s always been there, I guess, just waiting to come out. For example, say that your whole life, people told you there was only blue and pink, and no other colors, but then one day you’re older and suddenly you spot a frickin rainbow, and you realize, oh hey, there’s more than just blue and pink, you know?”

“That’s kinda what it felt like for me,” Lucy said with a shrug. “I grew up thinking everyone was straight, that you could only have that dish because nothing else was on the menu. But guess what, I walked out of that shitty restaurant and into one with an all you can eat kind of menu. Anyways, it’s really metaphorical and all, but surely you get what I’m saying?”

Alex nodded and when she went to drink some water, she spilled some over her chin and her fingers.

Lucy pulled Alex into a sideways hug. “You missed my glorious coming out moment, by the way,” she said, grinning. “I was thanking Miss Luthor for blessing me by letting Imra read a little and then some dude called me gay, so I just kinda blurted out I’m bisexual.”

“Oh my god, Luce,” Alex replied, laughing. “I think you’re my new spirit animal now.”

“You also missed Miss Luthor giving a sick burn to a bunch of assholes. I’m pretty sure I’m half in love with her now.”

Kara wasn’t sure how to feel about Lucy having some sort of crush on Miss Luthor. Not that she blamed her because she could definitely relate, but she didn’t like the idea of others having that kind of interest in Miss Luthor. She had to get over it eventually.

She didn’t give it much more thought, distracted when Imra excused herself quietly to go to the bathroom. While she didn’t have Imra’s gift to kind of feel how others felt, she noticed something was off. Her best friend looked forlorn and her heartbeat was different. She muttered a quick excuse about needing a bathroom break, too.

Imra gripped the sink. Her arms shook ever so slightly and she choked back tears. Kara heard it as a sob lodged in her throat, threatening to escape.

Kara walked up to Imra and hugged her, listening to her friend exhaling slowly while she sunk into the embrace. “I’m here,” she said, caressing Imra’s back.

Imra stepped back and slid down against the wall. “It’s my sister,” she whispered, gazing up at Kara. “Ayla turned twenty-two today. I tell myself she’s out there somewhere, that she’s not dead.”

Kara crouched down in front of Imra. Last year, Imra briefly mentioned she had an older sister she lost track of. When Imra came to earth with her family something went wrong and they wound up scattered. Imra told her they all found each other within an hour, but they never found Ayla.

“This is her second birthday I’m missing,” Imra whispered while tears made their way down her cheeks. “My father has been asking around for help. I worry every day if she has food and shelter. I wonder if she feels lost and alone, and if she’s looking for us, too.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

Sam checked her phone while she made her way towards the library. It was a Friday night, and Alex had been texting her. She gave the girl her phone number on a whim the night she walked her home when Alex bumped into her behind the hospital. Lena wasn’t home, but she figured Lena would know she was going for a walk.

It was something she had been doing a lot lately. Lena caught her being on her phone at times and while Lena didn’t understand why she had a phone, she wasn’t questioned about it either. Alex asked if they could meet up at the library. Given the fact seeing Alex was one of the highlights of her life, she had said yes.

She was roughly ninety percent certain Alex Danvers was her soulmate. It was as if every fiber of her being screamed the truth, to open her eyes to see it. Having a soulmate gave her hope that she could live a life where love existed. She knew Lena loved her, but that was different. The love she shared with Lena was nowhere near romantic.

So far she kept everything with Alex friendly, and she intended to continue doing so. Alex mentioned she was turning eighteen in three months, but that didn’t take away the fact she was currently just a seventeen-year-old girl and eighteen wasn’t that old either. Having a soulmate was lovely, though she wished her soulmate wasn’t human. Humans had a shorter lifespan than other beings; even witches lived longer.

“Hey,” Alex whispered from where she was leaning against the brick wall of the library. “You made it.”

Sam was surprised when Alex went in for a hug, which was new. She knew they were friends, but she didn’t think Alex wanted to hug her. “I texted you I’d be here, I’m a woman of my word, Alex,” she said, smiling as their brief hug broke. “You didn’t go down the roof again did you?”

“I was tempted, but I knew you weren’t outside to catch me like last time, when I tripped, which by the way, nice catch,” Alex replied, slipping her hands into her leather jacket as they started walking.

“Friends are there to catch each other when they fall, and I happen to have fast reflexes.”

“How did you become a vampire anyway?”

 

_Blackouts she couldn’t explain plagued Sam until one day she found out she wasn’t just herself, she wasn’t just Sam. There was another side to her, one she didn’t understand. Whenever she lost control, she became Reign, only she had no recollection of what she did while she was Reign. She stumbled across the bad places and maybe even the wrong people._

_The pain was intense when someone used something on her, some black rock and then she saw herself as if duplicated. Only, that wasn’t her. That was Reign. Chaos ensued quickly. She was bleeding. Someone had stabbed her. She was dropping in out of consciousness. The last thing she saw was Reign’s face hovering close to hers and Reign was telling her to run._

_Reign left, and she tried to run, but she didn’t know what she was running from exactly. “Please, I’m confused,” she said while she kept a hand pressed against her abdomen where blood was seeping through her clothes._

_Her body slumped down multiple times, and she could hardly keep her eyes open. “I don’t know what’s happening,” she called out._

_She could hardly breathe. Her legs hurt, but she knew she had to keep going. Someone chased her, though she had no idea why. She tripped and stumbled down. Someone nearby told someone else to tie up the loose end. She saw Reign bleed when she saw her running._

_Pain coursed through her body, after which she passed out. When she came to, everything around her was on fire. She didn’t want to die, didn’t want this to be the end for her. So instead she tried to make a run for it again. This time nobody was chasing her. The fire scorched her skin as she ran through it._

_She was wounded so much; she was sure she was going to die. Maybe she didn’t deserve a second chance, because of Reign, because of the awful things she was capable of, not that she had any actual evidence of any of that. She was quite sure they killed Reign. For a moment she even believed Reign wanted to help her but wasn’t able to._

_A hooded figure approached her, but she had little left to fight. She couldn’t even get up. Her nails dug into the sand while she tried to stand, but her body couldn’t take it. The hooded figure turned out to be a woman. She was young, a couple of years younger than her. Her skin was ashen, almost sickly so. The woman looked at her as if she was going to cry for her, which wasn’t helpful, but at least it meant she wasn’t here to kill her._

_“Who are you?” Sam asked, feeling exhausted and worn as the woman approached her further. “What do you want?”_

_“My…real name is Magdalena,” the woman answered, her movements hesitant as she scooped Sam up. “I want nothing of you.”_

_“I’m Sam,” Sam mumbled._

_Everything went black, and when she came to, her wounds were looked after. She was no longer outside. Instead, she was in a bed, and the woman was offering her a cup she insisted she had to drink if she wanted a second chance._

 

“Sam, is everything okay? You zoned out.”

Sam snapped out of her thoughts. “There are parts of my life I can’t tell you about, but I don’t know who turned me. I have no memory of that. All I remember is dying and fighting to survive,” she said, picking up on how Alex’s heart was beating faster.

Alex placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder and gave her a soft smile. “You don’t have to share anything you don’t want tooooo,” she shrieked when Sam scooped her up. “Jesus, you run fast. Have you ever been on a motorcycle?”

“Have I ever,” Sam answered, smirking as she carefully lowered Alex. “I have a Ducati.”

“I might be in love with you,” Alex said, laughing, but her cheeks were suspiciously red and all of the sudden she was no longer looking at Sam. “Motorcycles are awesome,” she breathed out. “Mom and dad won’t let me have one.”

“Well, considering I’m a vampire and you’re sneaking out at night, I doubt they’d kill me if I offer you a ride,” Sam replied suggestively, curiously taking in Alex’s awed expression. Their love for motorcycles was definitely mutual. “You have to hold on tight though.”

“You say that as if that’s supposed to scare me off.”

Sam took a step closer, smiling at how Alex’s heart instantly sped up, but she knew Alex wasn’t afraid of her. “Perhaps after some thorough lessons and extra padding, I’ll let you take my motorcycle for a spin on an empty parking lot.”

“I’m not _that_ fragile that I’d need extra padding,” Alex huffed. “You might as well hand me the keys and walk away.”

“Oh, I see how it is. You want to have a good time without me.”

“I don’t think it’s possible to have a good time without you.”

Sam lapsed into silence while Alex gave her that tender and soft look of hers she was getting to know so well. She knew she had to take a step back and create a diversion because if Alex kept looking at her like that, then she was going to do something stupid like kiss her.

“Sam,” Alex whispered while her heart was beating too fast. “Do you like…spending time with me?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena wandered into the woods. It was easy to locate where Livewire was when she heard someone screaming. “Stop shocking that poor woman,” she demanded, staring incredulously at Livewire.

“Don’t boss me around,” Livewire grumbled. “Just because I do a job for you doesn’t mean I work for you.”

Lena explicitly asked Livewire to bring the woman to her unharmed. She could imagine it took some effort and a shock here and there, though Livewire was pushing it too far. Their meet-up was supposed to go peacefully.

“I hauled her ass all the way out here. I spent days trying to keep her from biting me, the least you could do is say thanks,” Livewire said while she roughly put the woman down.

Lena was unimpressed by the hood Livewire had pulled completely over the woman’s head. She reached into her pocket and retrieved a thick envelope filled with money. “If you tell any-”

“Are you nuts? I don’t want to lose my head for this. I’m not going to tell anyone.”

“Interrupt me again and I’ll break your jaw,” Lena warned. She watched as the metahuman flinched, glad her warning paid off. “You’re free to go,” she told Livewire. “You, on the other hand, are coming with me,” she said to the woman, flinging her over her shoulder.

She used her speed to return to her mansion while the woman struggled in her arms. The moment she put the woman down and freed her from that hood over her head, the newborn tried to attack her. It was futile. She twisted the woman’s arm behind her back with little effort.

“Why are you trying to kill me? I haven’t done anything to you. Let me go.”

“I’m not trying to kill you, Grace,” Lena said as she let go of the newborn’s arm. “I’m saving your life.”

“Tell that to your lackey,” Grace replied, hugging her arms around herself. “You’re not out to kill me?”

“I believe I established as much,” Lena answered coolly. She fetched a cup with blood and gave it to Grace, who eagerly drank it. “You were caught up in a mess you didn’t ask for. Doctor Grace Parker. You’re an orphan and a workaholic without any friends to account for, correct?”

“Someone nobody would remember,” Grace whispered, letting the cup clatter to the floor. “I did terrible things to patients. I was so thirsty, it was stronger than me.”

Lena understood all too well what it was like to have such a strong urge to feed; strong enough one lost themselves in soothing the burn at the back of their throat. She filled another cup for Grace and walked her over to the couch.

“I have rules you must abide,” Lena said, offering Grace the cup. “You can never use the elevator to go underground or you will die. It’s dangerous down there, you wouldn’t survive. Rule number two, you must stay indoors or I can’t protect you. This rule is temporary.”

“Why are you protecting me? I don’t mean anything to anyone.”

Lena was not liking she had another newborn on her hands who was more human than vampire. Feelings were strange and quick to grow uncomfortable. This newborn needed comfort and she was not sure when she signed up to comfort two soft newborns.

“I, too, was an orphan,” Lena shared. “You are not alone in the world, Grace. Your life matters.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara didn’t want to lie to her sister and her friends, but she didn’t want to tell them the truth either. She never really brought up the whole vampire thing with Imra and Alex anymore, although she had a feeling they were convinced she was right, even if she didn’t actively defend any of her theories anymore.

Once a week, she chose to eat lunch with Miss Luthor. Lucy, Imra, and Alex thought their history teacher was tutoring her. That was what she told them at least. In a sense, it wasn’t a complete lie. She did learn things from Miss Luthor when they ate lunch together. Well, Miss Luthor basically drank hers rather than ate.

The thought of someone drinking blood was a little icky, but her history teacher was a vampire, so it was natural to her and she tried to be neutral about it. She didn’t want Miss Luthor to think she was grossed out. At first, Miss Luthor drank two thermoses filled with some kind of blood, but since last week she saw she had three.

“Hey, Miss Luthor,” Kara said with a bright smile as she walked into her classroom.

Her math class just ended, and she was happy to find Miss Luthor left the door open for her like she expected her to walk in; like she knew it was a thing she did. She closed the door behind her and smiled impossibly brighter when she saw Miss Luthor even put a chair down across from her for her.

Miss Luthor began to place her thermoses onto her desk, three of them. “Hello, Kara.”

Kara unpacked her lunch, but instead of sitting down, she hesitated. “Are you going to bite if I sit a bit closer?” she asked, playing it off with a chuckle.

Miss Luthor raised a brow. “You’ll find out,” she answered, sipping from her first thermos.

Kara took her chances and scooted her chair closer. She still left some distance, but instead of sitting down in front of the desk, she sat down on the side of it. If Miss Luthor scooted over a little, they could sit side by side, but she didn’t want to push it. She chuckled when her teacher wrinkled her nose a little. It was barely detectable, but she saw it.

“You hate the smell of my food, don’t you?” Kara asked, digging into her lunch while Miss Luthor drank in silence. “Mw’ile twake twat as a yes.”

“Unbelievable,” Miss Luthor whispered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You should swallow your food before you speak.”

Kara could tell Miss Luthor wasn’t annoyed or frustrated because she was smiling. “I have an offer for you, a trade of sorts.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Kara smiled, feeling quite proud of the idea she came up with. “If you tell me how you’re able to walk in the sun, I’ll tell you what my weakness is,” she offered, finding it was a fair trade.

“Your weakness is kryptonite,” Miss Luthor said, licking her lips while Kara gaped at her. “Nice try.”

“I bet it’s something science-y,” Kara mumbled, eyes lighting up when Miss Luthor’s lips parted for a moment. “Aha, I’m right, it is something science-y. Someone… no, _you_ , created something that keeps you safe from the sun.”

“Oh Rao,” Kara whispered, feeling her curiosity spike even more.

She was intrigued to learn as much as she could about Miss Luthor. When she came to earth, she never thought she would come in contact with a vampire. Before she met Miss Luthor, she didn’t think vampires were real. They sure knew how to hide, how to keep their existence a secret. She knew what it was like when someone had to hide their true nature.

“Did you ever struggle to fit in?” Kara asked, chewing her lip. “Did people ever treat you like you were some weirdo?”

“It wasn’t always easy to blend in, to adapt. Times change and so do I. The world evolves, though humanity has a lot left to learn,” Miss Luthor answered, reaching out to cup Kara’s jaw. “You were born to stand out, Kara. Why fight so hard to fit in when you could be you? You’re unique. You have such a brilliant mind.”

Kara forgot how to breathe. She smiled a little and covered Miss Luthor’s cold hand with her warm hand. It was such a strange feeling, like mixing fire and ice. “I feel alienated a lot,” she shared with a soft sigh. When she felt Miss Luthor retracting her hand, she didn’t fight it. “My heightened senses can be particularly overwhelming. Sound the most.”

“When the world is too loud, I seek a calm center, a balance. I focus on a singular sound.”

“I’ve tried that, but I’m not always good at it. Sometimes it doesn’t help. I just can’t seem to drown out the rest of the world enough,” Kara sighed.

“Perhaps you need to be more selective with which sound you concentrate on,” Miss Luthor hummed. “Close your eyes.”

Kara wasn’t sure why, but she closed her eyes.

“Listen,” Miss Luthor whispered. “Tell me what you hear.”

Kara screwed her eyes shut tighter. “There are cars outside. Some are honking. It’s not nearby, but it’s there. I hear voices in the cafeteria. People in the diner across the street are talking and chewing their food. Cutlery is scraping over plates,” she whispered, hearing birds outside and more.

She listed every single thing she heard until she was sure she listed them all. Her eyes were still closed when she heard a new sound and she shivered, because it was more than a sound, it was also a feeling. Miss Luthor’s fingers were tapping against her skin.

“Do you hear and feel that, Kara?”

Kara gulped. “Y-yes,” she answered, hyper-aware of that particular sound and that touch.

“What of the other sounds?”

Kara opened and closed her mouth. She had forgotten about the other sounds as if they were no longer there. “Oh,” she whispered, still focused on Miss Luthor’s fingers tapping her skin.

The feeling and the sound stopped. “You may open your eyes now,” Miss Luthor said.

Kara stared at Miss Luthor. “How did you do that?”

“I taught someone how to cope with having heightened senses before and I had to teach myself, also. The more invested you are in a particular sound or touch, the easier it becomes to drown out the rest. Prioritizing helps.”

Kara felt a blush creep up her cheeks. She hoped Miss Luthor didn’t see her as a teenager with a hopeless crush, even though that was pretty much what she was. When she listened to Miss Luthor talk it was as if the rest of the world simply wasn’t there.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Lena sought an audience with Carpe Noctem, which she was readily granted. She entered the throne room where each member of Carpe Noctem was seated. Her cape swept across the floor with each step she took.

Lexa, the head of Carpe Noctem whom frequently was referred to as commander, was seated on a throne made out of bones. Her hair was braided in an intricate design, which typified her, along with the facial paint she wore. She was one of Carpe Noctem’s three vampires and she was the founder of Carpe Noctem.

Brainy, Carpe Noctem’s alien, stood loyally on Lexa’s right. He was her consultant and her advisor because he knew how to separate feelings from duty. Not that separating those was an issue for Lexa. He was a decent sounding board to bounce ideas back and forth, remaining objective and impartial.

Psi, the metahuman who was feared by many because of her extraordinary gift of having people experience their worst fears, including vampires, was seated on the left side of the throne room, next to Raven, the witch. While their skill-sets were vastly different from vampires, they had earned their place as members of Carpe Noctem.

On the right side of the throne room, Lincoln and Octavia were seated side by side. They were two strong vampires and skilled fighters. Separately, they were near impossible to defeat. Together, they were lethal and could take down an army of vampires. Fighting together was their strongest skill. They trusted each other and knew each other through and through, considering they were courted. They were the only courted vampires Lena knew of.

“You requested an audience with us,” Lexa said. “Speak.”

“As you know, I have always held you in high regard,” Lena began, which was true. She did respect Lexa, even if she did not always follow the rules. “I found a newborn in National City and it is my aim to teach her how to control her thirst, as I have done the same with Sam.”

“National City you say,” Octavia spoke up.

“Does this concern Grace Parker?” Lexa asked.

“Grace is marked for elimination,” Psi added. “She disappeared before we got there and now you stand here, telling us you have her, seems suspicious to me. It’s almost as if you knew we’re after her.”

“Mind your tongue,” Lexa warned Psi. “Thou shall not accuse our old friend of treason.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Psi replied, though she did narrow her eyes at Lena. “My bad, commander.”

“Magdalena couldn’t have known we were after Grace,” Lincoln said, sharing a nod with Octavia.

“True,” Raven chimed in. “We didn’t share that with anyone. We can’t hold her accountable for a coincidence.”

Lena listened as murmurs went back and forth between the members of Carpe Noctem. Long ago, she saved the lives of Lexa’s siblings and the life of her daughter. She knew much about Carpe Noctem’s eldest vampire, though when she saved those children, she had no idea of their connection. All she knew was a pack of vampires targeted three innocent children whom were playing in the woods near a village and it angered her.

She had a code, a moral code. Although all vampires were encouraged not to harm children. Aden was a mere boy of twelve years old. Tris was ten and Madi was only a toddler. The incident happened during her early years as a vampire. Allegedly, they knew Lexa was strong for a newborn and they learned she had siblings and a child she gave birth to three days before she was bitten.

When she heard the girls scream while Aden, such a brave young boy, had picked up a stick to fight them, something inside of her had snapped. She attacked the pack of vampires and when Lexa arrived, they fought side by side. The fact Carpe Noctem ranked her a thirteen for how dangerous she was had something to do with that day, including other things she had done. By now those children had long grown up and had chosen a life as vampires. To call Lexa a friend was a bit of a stretch, but they were on good terms.

“If I may,” Lena said after a while when their back and forth conversations were quieting down. “My decision was not made on a whim.”

Lexa held up a hand to silence whispers from the other Carpe Noctem members. “Go on,” she said, crossing one leg over the other, twirling a silver blade with her gloved hands.

Lena eyed the blade. Lexa was notorious for throwing that blade when something displeased her, though she doubted Lexa intended to throw it at her. “Grace is a doctor. With the right guidance, I can teach her self-control until she is ready to work at a hospital again. She can be helpful to replenish our supplies.”

Lexa looked at Brainy. “What say you?”

“The doctor can be of great value. If taught properly, there is a seventy-two percent chance of success. Sparing her life would be beneficial,” Brainy answered, pressing the tips of his fingers together. “If unsuccessful, vampires can be exposed beyond repair.”

Lexa’s face was stoic as ever, giving little away, though her expressive eyes spoke volumes and told Lena she was leaning towards granting permission. “We shall take a vote,” she said as she stood up. “Those in favor of Lena’s decision, raise your hand. Five against one. Grace Parker may live.”

“She is your responsibility now,” Lexa told Lena. “Walk with me.”

Their walk turned out to be something akin to a race. She had to push her speed to its limit to keep up with Lexa, which meant Lexa was aiming to no longer be within earshot of the other members of Carpe Noctem. Vampires were among the fastest beings on earth, but they were not the fastest. A metahuman named the Flash was capable of outrunning them with ease and Superman was also faster than vampires.

Lexa stopped when they reached the edge of a cliff. “You have an ulterior motive for the decision you made,” she said, clasping her hands behind her back.

“If that is what you believe, why conduct a vote?”

“Your heart bled for Sam, the orphan,” Lexa whispered. “As were you, as is Grace. You are not ruthless, not always.”

Lena lifted her chin. There was truth in Lexa’s words, there was no denying that. In order to protect Sam, she would kill every member of Carpe Noctem if necessary, though it would be a bloody pity. Her heart did bleed for Sam. Her friend was quite dear to her.

“I may be lenient with you,” Lexa admitted in a whisper. “You need not ask why.”

“Your family,” Lena whispered with an understanding nod. “Is that why you wished to have a word with me in private?”

“I wish for you to reconsider my offer.”

“My mind is made up, Lexa. I told you this centuries ago. My answer was and still is no. I will not join Carpe Noctem. I’m not a team player. I’m a lone wolf.”

“Very well,” Lexa replied, lips curling up in the faintest of smiles. “Send my best to Sam and Grace, lone wolf.”

“You know, sometimes you are entirely insufferable, Lexa,” Lena said, managing a faint smile of her own. She extended her arm and when Lexa did the same, she gave her upper arm a squeeze. It was a sign of respect, a means of saying goodbye before parting. Hugs were not in their nature.

“May we meet again, Lena.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara smiled when Eve showed up with a container filled with cookies. Ever since Imra asked Eve as her date for the upcoming winter dance, Eve brought them cookies and cupcakes every day. It was really sweet.

“Chocolate chip cookies?” Lucy asked, grinning. “Those are my favorites.”

“Ditto that,” Alex agreed, grabbing two at once.

Kara sheepishly snagged three when Eve was distracted talking to Imra about how she bought a dress for the dance. All cookies were her favorite, the more the better.

“Thank you, cutie,” Imra said to Eve, giving her a sincere smile. “I’m sure your dress will look stunning.”

Eve blushed, gave Imra the rest of the cookies and walked off to go sit with her friends who were chancing glances whilst giggling.

Kara compared her three cookies with the seven cookies Imra had. She didn’t mean to drool, but oh Rao, those cookies were delicious. The chocolate instantly melted on her tongue and the cookies had just the right balance between soft and crunchy.

Imra gave four of her cookies to a very thankful Kara while Lucy talked about a suit she was going to wear to the dance.

Kara fumbled with her necklace more than she used to, just relieved to feel it was there, to remind herself she got it back after she lost it, thanks to Miss Luthor. She caught glimpses of Imra who was mostly listening to the conversation Lucy and Alex had gotten into about how it was totally okay for girls to wear suits and for guys to wear dresses if they wanted to. As she fumbled some more with her necklace, she wondered if Miss Luthor was capable of finding people.

It was so sad Imra got separated from her sister and that she didn’t have her back yet. She couldn’t imagine losing Alex and they didn’t even share blood, plus they had only known each other for four years, so she could imagine it was much rougher on Imra she lost her sister. Miss Luthor found her necklace somewhere in Midvale, like a needle in a haystack.

Granted, looking for a missing person while she could be literally anywhere in the world was much harder, but she wondered if Miss Luthor had connections to help out. There was no harm in asking, although she wasn’t sure if Imra was okay with her asking a vampire for help. It wasn’t really her place to discuss Imra’s sister.

She decided to bring it up with Imra sometime, to ask if she was okay with it. Imra did mention her family was asking around for help. She didn’t want her friends to get in danger by knowing Miss Luthor was a vampire, but it was hardly a secret when she already discussed it with Imra and Alex before. They weren’t going to tell anyone else, she trusted them.

“Are you still set on going with Maxwell?” Lucy asked Alex, scrunching up her nose when Alex nodded. “You could have easily gone with pretty much any other guy. Hell, probably with half of the girls, too,” she said, to which Alex’s eyes widened. “I mean, just saying. Not implying you are or aren’t into that,” she added with a shrug.

Imra laced her fingers with Alex’s and gave her hand a squeeze. “I listened to that Slipknot tape you gave me. It was…renewing,” she said, smiling.

“You have no poker face, Im,” Alex replied, chuckling, squeezing Imra’s hand back before she let go. “If you disliked it, you can just say so.”

“Okay, it was garbage.”

Alex’s jaw dropped. “Garbage?” she guffawed. “On second thought, I might prefer your gentle approach.”

Kara wondered why Imra kept comforting her sister. It wasn’t too obvious, but Imra had a certain tell by reaching out to offer a comforting touch. From the fact Alex responded to it, she could puzzle together her sister both needed and appreciated it, but she didn’t understand why. She didn’t know what was making Alex so uneasy every now and then.

“Slipknot isn’t that bad,” Lucy said. “It’s the kind of stuff I blast when I’m studying.”

“Now that’s something I can’t do,” Alex said, shaking her head. “You’re a special kind of crazy, Luce.”

“You’re just a nerd who goes to the library to study,” Lucy replied, grinning. “You should give AC/DC a try,” she said to Imra. “Highway to hell is my jam.”

Alex snapped her fingers, nodding. “Definitely listen to that one,” she agreed, smiling. “I hands down want to go on a road trip someday, blasting that song.”

Kara leaned closer to Imra and whispered, “Run while you still can,” into her ear.

“Hey, cut it with the inside jokes and secrets and what have you,” Lucy protested when Imra chuckled. “I swear you two live in some kind of special bubble sometimes.”

Kara huffed. “This wasn’t a secret, I was giving Imra some valuable advice,” she corrected, smiling.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena was acutely aware of every sound while she taught her students. She concentrated on Kara’s heartbeat to help calm her. It was as if every force in existence was drawing her towards the girl. Ever since her first day teaching here at Midvale high, Kara’s heartbeat had been the one she focused on. At first, it was utterly coincidental.

She believed she was not obvious with her glances. Every now and again she stole a glimpse of Kara before averting her eyes. In all of the years she spent teaching, she never had a favorite, until now, though she kept it under the radar. Despite the fact, her soulmate was her favorite she was unwilling to give her any form of special treatment, although if she was fair, other students were not allowed to join her during lunch, for obvious reasons.

Hiding her true nature from the girl was impossible, however, there were parts of her Kara did not know of. She was not the kind of being suitable for a deep connection with anyone. There was a light inside of her just as there was darkness inside of her. Perhaps the care she extended towards Sam and Grace was nothing more but a weak attempt at redemption of sorts. Saving them was nowhere near enough to make up for the countless lives she took.

The students filed out when the bell rang, signaling their lunch break.

Lena overheard Kara telling her friends she wanted to discuss today’s class with her to grasp it better. It was the second time this week Kara decided to eat lunch with her, but she let it slide. She wanted Kara to spend time with her friends, though she could not say she minded the girl spending time with her.

Kara gave her one of her sunshiny smiles and closed the door while Lena shut the blinds. It felt like a routine, a pattern they fell into automatically.

“I’ve been thinking,” Kara said, launching into a conversation as they unpacked their respective lunches. “You’re not really Miss Luthor, are you? I heard the whole Luthor family perished in a fire, but that somehow, the daughter of the family lived and you’re supposedly that daughter. Only, that’s impossible, you’ve lived through so much of history, you just can’t be her, so who are you?”

“You’re not wrong,” Lena confirmed. “You should know you can only refer to me as Miss Luthor during class and when you interact with other students,” she warned, hating for her name to travel around.

“Of course, I won’t share your name with others,” Kara replied, making a cross over her chest. “It’ll be between you and me,” she assured with a smile.

“My name is Magdalena, but just Lena will do.”

“Lena,” Kara whispered, smiling. “Do you speak any languages other than English?”

“Yes, I speak a generous amount of languages,” Lena answered, considering she had been around for well over six centuries and not every country she lived in was fluent in English.

“Somehow you knew kryptonite is my weakness. Do you happen to know any Kryptonese?”

“That I do not,” Lena answered, though she could learn. It might not be particularly useful, but she could imagine Kara could not speak her tongue often and for that reason, she was willing to learn if Kara was so inclined to teach her.

“I skis nahn zrhueiao _(your eyes are beautiful)_ , zhehd pil khap khahsh kuhs rrip _(they take my breath away from me)_ ,” Kara whispered, the words rolled off of her tongue naturally.

Lena tilted her head curiously at the foreign words. “Any chance you can translate that for me?” she asked, endeared when Kara’s answer was a healthy pink blush. She had half a mind to tease Kara whether she was talking dirty to her or not, but she decided it was distasteful to tease the girl in such an inappropriate manner.

Kara shook her head and dug into her disgusting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Lena wished she could let it go, but she wanted to know what Kara said to her. She had no clue whatsoever. “If you are still interested in a trade, I can offer you one,” she said, finding her curiosity for this foreign language was too strong to ignore. Kara’s nod prompted her to explain. “Teach me Kryptonese and I’ll tell you how I can walk in the sun. You can start by translating that sentence for me.”

“Oh Rao, vokai khap _(oh Rao, help me)_.”

 


	10. Chapter 10

Kara plucked at her blue dress as she entered the gym for the winter dance. Despite the cleaning crew’s best efforts, the gym still smelled a little like sweat mixed with the scent of the mats they often used. Her sister had helped her choose an outfit because she wasn’t too sure what to wear. Alex ensured her the blue of her dress made her eyes pop.

Her arm was linked with Kenny’s and the poor guy was far more nervous to be here than she was. The main reason for her nerves was due to the disaster of last year and even more so the one before that. Last year she spilled punch all over her dress, which was apparently hilarious to some of her peers who took pictures of her until Alex threatened to fight them all if they didn’t cut it out.

The year before that, she tripped and face-planted in the middle of the gym. Lots of students called her weird and said she didn’t belong because she couldn’t even dance. The latter wasn’t exactly true. She knew how to dance, but her definition of dancing was linked to how people danced on Krypton. It involved a lot of steps and it was classy, though here on earth it seemed to be a reason to make her the laughing stock of the school.

She looked to her left where her sister arrived with Maxwell. Alex looked incredibly uncomfortable. She didn’t understand one bit why her sister came to the dance with him. There were several other students more than happy to take Alex to the dance and she said yes to the person she loathed the most. It was confusing.

Lucy and Winn stood close to the long table lined up against the wall on the right, close to the large bowl filled with punch and the copious bowls filled with chips. She liked the way they thought.

“Hey, Imra,” Kara called out, frowning when Imra arrived alone. “Where’s Eve?”

“Her friends told me she’s ill, so she couldn’t make it,” Imra answered, sighing quietly. “It’s fine though, her friends offered me a dance.”

Kara nodded when her best friend got caught up in a dance. She decided to help herself to some punch and chips before even attempting to dance. If she copied what the others were doing, she should be fine. Most students reminded her of penguins, shifting from one leg onto the other, wobbling from side to side. It didn’t look like dancing to her, but at least nobody was mocking them.

She almost spilled bits of her punch over her dress when she locked eyes with Miss Luthor. Oh Rao. The gods either loved or hated her because Lena was wearing a purple dress with a see-through teal piece covering her arms and hugging the sides of her dress. Lena’s dress showed off an ample amount of her cleavage and her clavicles were on display. Overall there was an elegant touch to it. Lena reminded her of royalty. Rao, she sure looked like a queen, a snow queen, given her pale complexion, which was nothing short of stunning and perfect during the winter.

Kenny cleared his throat and smiled shyly at Kara. “May I have this dance with you?” he asked, extending his hand just as the next song started playing. It was a slow song, a typical cheesy song for students to start slow dancing.

Kara knew Kenny had been practicing because she overheard him talking about it once. “I’d love to,” she answered, although that wasn’t true. She would rather spend the entire dance enjoying chips and punch than dance for even a minute, but she didn’t want to let Kenny down while he learned how to dance just for her. At least that made one of them capable of dancing.

Kenny was sweet and didn’t step on Kara’s toes, and he didn’t complain when Kara stepped on his toes four times in less than a minute. When he kissed her halfway throughout the song, it didn’t feel right. The press of his lips was brief and gentle, his lips a little chapped, but she couldn’t find it in her to kiss him back and he must have sensed it because he backed away.

An apology was on the tip of Kara’s tongue along with an explanation how he was a wonderful guy, but that she just couldn’t see anything beyond friendship with him, but before she could speak, she caught Lena’s eye and felt that burn inside of her chest again. It hurt, more so when Lena broke their eye-contact, which doubled the pain.

Miss Luthor’s face was unreadable. She appeared calm and Kara wondered if she felt that same pain, if her heart burned, too.

“I’m going to get some punch,” Kara said, giving Kenny an apologetic look. “Do you, ah, want a cup?” she remembered to ask. “You’re a good dancer, maybe we can dance again,” she said, relieved Kenny appeared to smile a little.

She didn’t want to hurt his feelings and she felt as if she stepped on his heart by rejecting his kiss. He hadn’t done anything wrong. She just wasn’t into him because she only had eyes for one person. Her crush for Lena was hopeless. The more she got to know her history teacher, the more she doubted it was a small crush she was bound to get over at some point. She tried to silence the part of her which was telling her Lena might be the one for her.

“You okay?” Lucy asked Kara, frowning at her as Kara emptied her cup in record time. “The punch isn’t that good, what’s up?” she asked, gently nudging Kara’s side.

Kara sighed. “It’s complicated,” she answered, and Rao, in a moment like this she wished she could tell Lucy everything, how she was an alien and how Miss Luthor was a vampire, but she couldn’t do that. “I’m still a terrible dancer.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex was whisked off for a dance by Maxwell. She hadn’t even finished her first cup of punch yet when he put it aside for her, which was just rude. He could at least let her have a drink first and a second, and a third, and so on. God, she wished there was alcohol in this punch because she needed… well, the extra punch.

Maxwell was in her personal space within seconds and it was wrong, all of it was wrong. Saying yes to him was one of the stupidest things she had ever done. She felt like she was trying so hard to prove a point to herself while in reality, she was in denial. Ever since she had that mild concussion, some things had become clear to her, like she kind of started seeing things in a different perspective.

She wasn’t lying when she told Kara she felt reborn, but despite that feeling, she was afraid to let it out. Despite the fact Lucy bravely came out, she was still shutting down. It unnerved her there was a possibility her friends knew. She was pretty sure Imra knew, from before even she herself knew. Lucy, on the other hand, had made a few comments that gave her the kind of vibe that said Lucy knew she wasn’t as straight as she had let on.

In fact, she wasn’t sure if she was even straight at all. Nothing ever felt right with guys. There was no spark when a guy kissed her, no matter how much it was someone she got along with. She used to think she simply wasn’t ready yet to date or that maybe she hadn’t found the right guy or maybe she wasn’t trying hard enough. But then she met Sam and her whole world turned upside down. Sam was just a friend who was becoming a close friend.

Sam always hinted so heavily how they were just friends that she was quite sure Sam wasn’t interested in her romantically. She didn’t even know if Sam was straight or not. It wasn’t the kind of thing she could just ask point blank. Meeting Sam was definitely the final straw for her to awaken, to accept the truth for what it was.

Maxwell leaned in and Alex leaned away, coughing at the overwhelming smell of his cologne. “How about you and I get out of here?” he said into her ear. “We can go somewhere private,” he suggested, sounding like the kind of guy simply looking to score.

Alex felt her stomach twist in knots and she severely regretted she agreed to come to the dance with him. “How about no,” she muttered, putting distance between them. “I think I have the flu, might be contagious,” she said while Maxwell looked at her as if she offended him. “I’m going to get some air.”

“I could have given you the best night of your life, Alex.”

Alex highly doubted that. “You can give it to another lucky soul,” she replied, internally cringing at the thought of another girl ending up with that asshole.

She scrambled out into the hall and braced herself against her locker, taking quick, shallow breaths. Footsteps came up to her and she almost jumped when a hand reached out to her, but the contact didn’t come. She breathed out and lifted her head, slowly facing Imra.

“Are you alright, Alex?” Imra asked, looking like she wanted so badly to reach out, but hesitating because of Alex’s visible discomfort.

Alex grasped Imra’s hand in gratitude, squeezing while she smiled faintly. “You were right about the whole douchebag looking to score thing,” she said with a bitter chuckle.

“If Maxwell has touched you in the wrong way, I will wipe the gym floor with him.”

Alex smiled a little brighter at that. “No, it’s not… it’s not like that, he just suggested something and it made me feel really disgusted because I’m not… I just…” She took a deep steadying breath and squeezed Imra’s hand harder. “I’m not wired like that.”

Imra let Alex take her other hand as well. “Would you like to go outside for a while?”

“I would, but it’s freezing outside, so I think I’ll stick to the hall for now.”

Alex mapped Imra’s face with her eyes. Imra was always so kind to her, so gentle and concerned, caring. It meant a lot to her how Imra was always one of the first to offer comfort. She liked how Imra sensed when she needed it most, especially when nobody else seemed to notice.

“Whenever I dated guys and when they kissed me, I thought…,” Alex trailed off, voice cracking while she tried to piece together what she wanted to say. “I think it’s possible I’m, you know, not straight,” she said, heart rate spiking while Imra nodded.

There was no judgment in Imra’s eyes. There was only understanding and acceptance.

“Can I ask you something?” Alex asked, chewing her lip, feeling her nerves flare up. “It might sound weird, so just bear with me and tell me if I’m being crazy.”

“I’m listening, Alex,” Imra assured her, softly squeezing her hands.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what it feels like to kiss… a girl,” Alex whispered, feeling a weight drop from her shoulders just voicing those words. “I don’t want it to be bad or awkward because I don’t know what I’m doing. I was thinking I’d feel more comfortable kissing someone I know, someone who makes me feel comfortable, someone like…”

Imra cupped Alex’s jaw. Alex shuddered involuntarily, but she placed her hand over Imra’s to let her know she didn’t want her to take the gesture back.

Alex liked the fact Imra wasn’t pushy or wasn’t prying for an explanation. “Someone like you,” she confessed in a whisper. “I’m thinking how maybe if you’re okay with it, I can kiss you to know what it feels like because we’re friends. You’re someone I trust and you wouldn’t tease me the way Lucy might.”

“A kiss just as friends?” Imra asked, humming when Alex bobbed her head up and down. “Okay, you can kiss me when you’re ready.”

Alex’s eyes widened. She didn’t think Imra would say yes. Her request sounded silly in her head and even worse when she voiced it. “I can…?” she asked, pointing her index finger vaguely between the two of them. “You’re sure?”

She half-expected Imra to take the initiative, to go for it, but Imra didn’t. Imra waited and gave her time. She reached out to her friend, pushing her against the locker, closing her eyes as she leaned in. Imra’s lips were soft and oh god, she was so gay.

Imra didn’t try to control or dominate the kiss. She allowed Alex to explore without trying to take the upper hand.

Alex felt Imra kissing her back, but it was fluttering. Her hands found purchase in Imra’s hair, bringing their faces closer together. She wasn’t sure if their kiss had lasted a minute or five minutes when her sister calling her name snapped her out of it. Her chest tightened and she couldn’t breathe anymore.

Kara’s eyebrows were all the way up, lips slightly parted while her eyes shifted between Imra and Alex. “Oh Rao, are you two dating?” she asked, and just like that, her shock washed away and her eyes twinkled in delight. “This is amazing!” she all but squealed.

“We’re not gay, I’m dating,” Alex blurted out in a quick tangle of words. “Oh god, kill me,” she groaned, covering her face with her hands.

Imra placed a hand between Alex’s shoulder blades. “Alex and I are friends,” she told Kara.

“But… you… she… and then…,” Kara said, moving her hands in criss-cross signals.

“I like girls,” Alex confessed, her voice coming out like a whimper. “I asked Imra if I could kiss her because I wanted to feel what it’s like, okay?”

Kara swept Alex into a hug. “Of course that’s okay, Alex,” she said, bright as ever. “You’re my sister. I love you, regardless of who you are and aren’t into. You’re like… my twin.”

“I’m a month older than you are, Kara.”

Kara nuzzled her head onto Alex’s shoulder. “Such a good twin,” she whispered, lightly patting Alex’s back.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“I brought you a change of clothes,” Lena said while she put sweatpants, a shirt, and underwear onto the table down in her lab. Socks were pointless because whenever she brought socks, they were not used. “Don’t undress in front of me,” she added. “You have a curtain and a private shower for a reason, use them.”

She gathered ingredients and other necessary items while she heard the water of the shower running, shaking her head when the sound was followed by a hiss. At least a handful of times she had explained how to make the water warmer and how to make it colder since she moved to Midvale and switched her from her old lab to this one.

She crushed love blossom and placed it into a beaker, after which she added a glass of water, turning it into a jelly-like salve. While she stirred a spoon through it, she added a glass of water mixed with garlic, little by little. She poured fresh spring water into the beaker and emptied the green slightly watery liquid into a pan, boiling it.

The shower turned off by the time she had let her potion cool down enough for it to change colors from green to yellow. She added four pinches of knettle sorrel and two handfuls viper caraway, bringing it to a boil again. She reached for a handful of golden barberry, the last ingredient she needed to finish the potion.

Silent footsteps approached her. “What are you making?”

Lena kept her eyes on the task at hand. “A potion,” she answered, adding a dash of golden barberry to get the color perfectly golden.

“What is the purpose of this potion?”

“Enough with the twenty questions,” Lena said sternly.

“I only asked two.”

Lena spun around, eye twitching. Speaking out of turn was something she did not tolerate. She glanced down at the droplets of water which were dripping onto the floor. The once dry shirt was now damp. “Hopeless,” she whispered as she grabbed a towel and a comb. “Sit,” she instructed, pointing at the swiveling chair she seldom used.

She let the truth serum cool down while she ran the comb through long and wet brown locks. It was uncertain to predict how effective the serum would be, though she was bound to find out. Sam had asked her more than once if she was secretly a witch or if she was one in another life. She knew Sam was kidding and of course, she was not a witch. Witches used magic whereas she resorted to science and what she found in nature.

“You must be hungry,” Lena said, trailing the back of her finger slowly down a warm cheek. “It’s been a while since I fed you.”

She stilled when the chair swiveled, facing her. Eager hands reached out to touch her. She closed her eyes when warm lips littered kisses along the expanse of her neck. Water seeped into her clothes. She opened her eyes, tangling a hand in those brown locks, pulling the woman’s head back with a soft tug. Her teeth scraped the woman’s pulse point, though she did not bite.

“You know what I told you about touching me, mo pheata,” Lena whispered.

“That is not my name.”

Lena knew it was not her name. It was Irish for _‘my pet’_. She spent the majority of her life in Ireland and had an Irish accent. While her special prisoner was not exactly her pet, she had a tendency of referring to her as such.

Warm lips found her cold ones. It was brazen and disobedient, but then she saw flashes of Kara kissing that boy right in front of her and remembered the pang she felt inside of her chest, so she let it. She let it until she could no longer control her thirst and had to back away.

“I shall bring you food. Go back to bed, pheata.”

 


	11. Chapter 11

Kara couldn’t help but whistle a Christmas tune. She had been listening to Christmas carols quite a bit, more than her sister approved of, but it was only Christmas once a year, so surely Alex could tolerate listening to Christmas songs for a couple days. Today was the last day of school right before the holiday break. She was excited, but at the same time, she didn’t like it all that much.

The holiday break meant she wasn’t going to see Lena for a while. She had gotten so used to eating lunch with her two or three times every week. Lucy had made a couple of comments how she suddenly seemed quite invested in being tutored and she even teased her how she would also let a teacher tutor her classes she wasn’t good at if they looked as good as Miss Luthor did.

She had a feeling it was only a matter of time before her friends would realize she had a crush on their history teacher. It felt like more than a crush though. She had crushes before and what she felt for Lena was different, it was something deeper. Considering this was the last day before the holiday break, she made up her mind she wanted to spend her lunch break with Lena.

“Such devotion to being tutored,” Lucy mumbled as she packed up her things. She gave Kara a wink and a sly smile before dashing out of the classroom with Imra and Alex.

Kara slowly stashed away her pens until everyone else had left. She shut the door while Miss Luthor closed the blinds. “I have something for you,” she announced cheerfully.

“Is that so?” Lena asked, her voice rather flat and her smile thin.

Kara decided not to read into Lena’s lack of enthusiasm and interest. Everyone had off days sometimes. She opened her backpack and took out a snow globe, presenting it to her teacher with a big smile, shaking it so Lena could see the fake snowflakes fall.

“It’s a Christmas gift,” Kara clarified, encouraging Lena with a nod to take it. “You don’t have to get me anything though, I just wanted you to have this because you’ve been helpful and you’re kind, and you’re a good teacher, and you almost even make me like history, which is weird, but it’s true.”

Lena took the snow globe and studied it. “No silver,” she whispered, giving it a shake. “Thank you, Kara,” she said, her voice sounding warmer this time.

“I know you can’t touch silver and I don’t want you to get hurt, so, ah, yes, no silver,” Kara explained sheepishly, blushing slightly. Surely there was nothing wrong with her giving her favorite teacher a small gift.

She hummed in between bites of her lunch, unable to get the Christmas songs out of her head. Meanwhile, she was aware Miss Luthor was observing her. It made her blush a little at times and it was unfair Lena was capable of hearing her heartbeat, which meant she probably heard it every time her heart beat faster. She was used to being the one who always picked up on other people’s heartbeat and it felt strange being on the other side of that.

“You seem to be in the holiday spirit,” Lena said, sipping from her thermos. “Why do you enjoy the holidays so much?”

Kara gave Lena a large smile. She sure enjoyed Christmas that was true. “Christmas didn’t exist on Krypton. We didn’t celebrate New Year either, so when I came to earth, that was a new thing and I love how people decorate trees. I love how people come together to eat and to just… be together. The gifts are nice too, though,” she explained with a light chuckle.

“Eliza and Jeremiah make a lot of food for the holidays,” Kara continued. “We even bake cookies together. They always tell me to wait until the cookies cool off, but I never do, I snag a couple from the plate and eat them. Jeremiah notices sometimes, but he just smiles at me. Last year Alex distracted them so I could enjoy a few cookies. She’s a good sister. I like having a sister. I didn’t have a sister on Krypton.”

Lena took another sip from her thermos. “You celebrated something else on Krypton, then?”

Kara nodded. “Every year, there was a large festival to celebrate the beginning of a new cycle. With each cycle, there was new life,” she answered, remembering it well. “The genesis chamber provided new life during the festivities. Unlike humans who are nine months pregnant, natural births were rare for my people. Kryptonians had children created in the genesis chamber, which took a full year, a full cycle. The festive was colorful. As a thank you for a new cycle and new life, we threw offerings into a fire for Rao, our god. Offerings were food, a piece of clothing or something we made. Children offered drawings and toys.”

“It must have been a beautiful tradition,” Lena said. “Celebrating life sounds better than people wanting the newest gadgets and the most expensive gifts.”

Kara slowly breathed out and managed a small smile. “Do you celebrate Christmas? Is that a thing vampires do?” she asked, delving back into her lunch while she gazed at Lena.

“No, I don’t bother celebrating any holiday. It’s rare for vampires to indulge in such things.”

“What about birthdays?”

Lena shook her head and averted her eyes. She leaned back, emptying her thermos. Her lips were red and a bit of blood escaped the corner of her mouth. She darted her tongue out of her mouth, licking every drop. Kara didn’t know why it was sexy seeing her do that.

A genuine smile appeared on Lena’s face. “You’re staring, Kara,” she whispered, biting her lip.

Kara gulped. That lip bite was doing things to her and she suddenly wished Lena would bite her lip instead. She wondered if Lena knew what she did to her. It was possible her teacher knew exactly what kind of effect she had on her and was doing it on purpose.

“Have you ever been anything else other than a teacher?”

“Oh yes, in my spare time I’m a mad scientist.”

Kara chuckled while a smile graced Lena’s lips. “It’s a serious question, Lee,” she said, swatting at her arm, but when Lena’s eyebrow rose she realized what she had said and done. She cleared her throat and fumbled with her glasses. “I mean, erm, Miss Luthor, ma’am, miss.”

Lena crossed her arms. “Are you saying I can’t be a mad scientist?”

“Mad I’d believe,” Kara answered, solely for the fact Lena was smiling.

“You…,” Lena said, stretching her fingers out towards Kara, curling them into a fist as she withdrew her hand. “I’m tempted to flunk you, but I’m not certain I can put up with you for another year.”

Kara gasped. “Hey,” she said, pouting. “Having lunch with me can’t be that bad, even though you can’t stand the smell of my food. Maybe you just need to fixate on another smell, like… erm.”

“Your blood?” Lena filled in, sounding amused, which Kara was glad to hear.

“It’s incredible how well developed your sense of smell is. I’d have never guessed you were a vampire based on your scent alone. You smell so good, not like death at all.”

“It’s almost as if vampires know how to bathe, who knew?”

Kara rolled her eyes at the sarcasm. Rao, she didn’t mean to imply vampires lacked hygiene. She ate the rest of her lunch in silence while Lena had the audacity to smirk at her as if that wasn’t melting her heart into a puddle while her legs turned into jelly.  

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena kept her lips sealed when Sam and Grace hauled a Christmas tree into her mansion, which apparently was Sam’s idea and Grace was on board with it. She should have known they were going to do this. Every year during the holidays, Sam had a sad glint in her eyes as she watched people setting up trees and building a snowman with their family.

This year Sam was all smiles and she was sharing her holiday joyfulness with Grace. Sam was quite thrilled when she introduced Grace as a new member of their home. Sam had commented with a cheeky smile how she liked that she brought more life to their mansion.

“Careful, those decorations are ridiculously fragile,” Sam said to Grace, who was opening a box with Christmas balls. “How about you untangle the lights and I’ll get a head start on hanging up the rest?”

“It’ll take me a while to untangle the lights,” Grace answered, frowning at the endless knots.

Sam stole glances of Lena while she hung up balls in the tree. She shattered one and sighed.

“I never celebrated Christmas before,” Grace shared.

“Why start celebrating it now?” Lena asked, shrugging a shoulder when Sam gave her a pointed look. “You know I care little for such sentimental events.”

“Caring a little or not, I’m still going to celebrate your birthday,” Sam shot back, grinning.

Lena quietly sat down on her couch with her snow globe in her hands. There was a miniature sleigh inside of it with a smiling Santa Claus. It was a strange gift, though suitable for the holidays. She had not anticipated Kara offering her a gift. The girl was growing fond of her, she could tell. She was doing a terrible job at keeping a distance between them.

By eating lunch with her soulmate and making a trade to learn Kryptonese, she was encouraging a connection while she had no intention of doing so. After the dance, she thought Kara might withdraw, but she was wrong. She showed the girl no malice for what happened at the dance. It was only a matter of time before she had to accept Kara would start a relationship with someone. At least the boy from the dance was sweet and kind towards Kara.

“I didn’t think you were interested in snow globes,” Sam whispered, sitting down next to Lena. “Was it a gift?”

“One of my students gave it to me,” Lena answered, shaking it.

“No silver,” Sam noticed. “You must be a good teacher unless that student is looking to score.”

“Score,” Lena whispered, brows knitting together.

“To get good grades,” Sam clarified, smiling from ear to ear. “Although I wouldn’t blame anyone if they want to rock your world.”

“Judging from the mischief in your eyes, your thoughts are unsavory.”

Sam watched Lena for a moment, eyes flitting between Lena and the snow globe.

Lena set the snow globe aside and went down to her lab while she left Sam and Grace to decorate the tree she was tempted to burn. Rather than stepping aside, she caught every stake her traps fired at her and snapped them in half.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex was pretty sure she couldn’t see any more cake for the next few days, if not weeks. Her stomach was stuffed with cake. Her parents had gone a little overboard, but she knew they were taking Kara’s large appetite into account. She was eighteen years old now, sort of officially an adult, although her parents didn’t agree.

Her pleas for a motorcycle went ignored, even when she swore she would pay for one herself. They gave her a new phone, which was great, but she didn’t really need a new phone. Her old one worked just fine. Blowing out eighteen candles wasn’t an easy task, but she had a little help from Kara. After blowing them out, she closed her eyes and while she could have wished for a motorcycle, she wished for the one thing she wanted more.

It wasn’t as much a thing as it was a person. Sam was her friend, but she had been developing feelings for her, which started the day she first met her. Maybe it was her concussion talking that day, but it felt like love at first sight. She never thought that was possible, but Sam was special and not because she was a vampire. She wished Sam returned her affections. It was really hard for her to tell if Sam liked her even a little beyond friendship.

Instead of wearing pajamas, she was under her covers with her clothes on. She had gone into the bathroom first and while her sister was busy in the bathroom, she had changed into a pair of black jeans and a thick black hoodie before she slid under her sheets. After the lights had gone out, she waited roughly an hour to ensure Kara was sleeping.

She tiptoed out of bed and opened the window. While she made her way out onto the roof, she sent a text to Sam, telling her to hurry. There was a layer of snow onto the roof. As she made her way towards the pipe, she realized it was too slippery, but it was too late. She slipped and fell, groaning when she landed roughly on top of someone and stumbled into the snow.

“I thought you were good at catching me,” Alex whispered while Sam helped her to get up.

Sam dusted the snow off of Alex. “Do you have to keep falling for me?” she asked, smiling while Alex blushed. She wrapped a blanket around Alex, which she must have brought with her.

Alex basked in the added warmth and sighed quietly when Sam lifted her into her arms. She simply stared up at Sam while she let herself be carried. It was freezing cold, but she preferred spending time with Sam over being wrapped up in her sheets in bed.

Sam lowered Alex abruptly. Her hazel eyes turned red. “I can hear you,” she said, pushing Alex behind her back.

Alex tilted her head to the side. “Sam?” she whispered, grabbing on to Sam’s arm.

Footsteps approached and Alex’s eyes widened, because oh god, it was Kara. She thought her sister was sleeping, but Kara must have followed her. She saw the exact moment where it dawned on her sister Sam was a vampire. She didn’t need to ask to know Kara couldn’t hear Sam’s heartbeat because Sam didn’t have one.

“You’ve met before,” Alex said, struggling to find her voice. “Sam, this is Kara, as you probably remember.”

“Your sister,” Sam nodded. “We met at the hospital.”

“Right,” Alex said, watching her sister nervously. “Kara, this is Sam, my friend.”

Kara took a step forward. Her eyes were fixated on Sam. “I see,” she said, reaching out for Alex’s arm. “I was worried when you snuck out.”

Alex grabbed her sister’s hand and squeezed, pleading her with her eyes. “Can we talk later when I’m home?” she asked, seeing Kara’s concern was making her hesitant to leave. “I just want to spend some time with my friend. It’s my birthday, after all. Please.”

Kara cast one last glance at Sam and nodded.

Alex slowly breathed out as Kara walked away, glad her sister didn’t freak out. She smiled when Sam scooped her up again. “I can walk, you know?” she commented, more humored than annoyed.

“I can run,” Sam replied, cradling Alex closer to her chest. She adjusted the blanket, sheltering Alex’s face from the wind as she ran.

Alex nuzzled her head in the crook of Sam’s neck and shuddered at how cold she was. She tried not to make it obvious, able to tell Sam wanted to keep her warm. It wasn’t Sam’s fault her skin was cold.

Sam didn’t lower Alex until they reached an underground parking lot. It was empty, aside from something hidden under a white sheet.

Alex’s jaw dropped when Sam lifted the sheet away. “Oh my god,” she whispered, smiling like a child in a candy store as Sam dangled a set of keys. “You’re letting me ride a motorcycle?”

“More than ride it, Alex,” Sam answered, smiling. “Catch,” she said, tossing the keys. “It’s yours now.”

“No way!” Alex shouted, wincing when Sam grimaced at her loud volume. “You’re the best,” she said, staring in awe at the motorcycle, which she was definitely not going to tell her parents about.

Sam snaked her arms around Alex’s waist, hugging her softly. “Happy birthday, Alex,” she whispered, kissing her cheek.

Alex’s breath hitched. “Eighteen,” she whispered. Her pulse quickened when Sam put her down, gazing into her eyes. “I turned eighteen, it’s supposed to be eighteen kisses,” she said, which wasn’t entirely true. Three was mostly the norm, though one was fine as well.

Sam gave Alex a curious look. She fisted a hand in Alex’s hoodie and tugged her closer. “Anything for the birthday girl,” she whispered, and god, Alex wished that was true.

Alex’s eyes fluttered shut while Sam kissed her cheeks seventeen more times, each one seeming to last longer than the last, if only by a fraction of a second. She didn’t want Sam to let go, didn’t want her to stop. It was tempting to turn her head just enough to catch Sam’s lips, but she didn’t want to risk losing Sam.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“How long have you been seeing that woman?”

Alex sat cross-legged on her bed, sighing. “I think you know the answer to that one,” she answered, and Kara was capable of guessing, but Kara still wanted to hear it from her. “When I had that concussion and I snuck out for the first time, I ran into her. We’ve been in touch ever since.”

Kara was disappointed in herself for not finding out sooner. It was the first time she followed her sister. What Alex did was dangerous, sneaking out onto the roof while she could have slipped and broken her leg or worse.

“You know she’s a…?”

“Vampire,” Alex filled in, nodding. “Speaking of vampires, Miss Luthor is one, too.”

“Yes,” Kara confirmed. There was no point denying or lying when her sister knew. She wondered if Sam gave Alex a similar warning as the one Lena gave her, of how dangerous it was to tell others.

“Wait a minute,” Alex whispered, frowning. “Why are you spending so much time with Miss Luthor? Is she really tutoring you or are you spending time with her because she’s a vampire?”

Kara bit her lip and moved until she was sitting next to Alex. “I want to be honest with you. We were always honest with each other,” she said, barely meeting her sister’s eyes. “You’re my sister and I miss talking with you about things.”

“Yeah,” Alex sighed, shoulders sagging. “I miss that, too.”

“I like her,” Kara confessed, wringing her hands together. “Like-like her… a lot. Not that I’ll ever have a chance with her,” she whispered, hearing her sister swallow thickly. “Are you and Sam really just friends?”

Alex sucked her lips into her mouth and nodded. She popped her lips out of her mouth, squeezing Kara’s hand. “I understand how you feel. Unrequited feelings are difficult,” she whispered, giving in to Kara pulling her into a hug. “I do like Sam, like that.”

 


	12. Chapter 12

Lena waited in the woods. It was pitch black out and she had asked Livewire to bring her a random stranger in exchange for money. The fact Livewire did not question why was as good as it was terrible. She did not appreciate people prying, although at times she was disappointed how little most cared about other people.

Livewire arrived with a human in tow. The woman’s hands were bound together with a rope and Livewire was tugging at the end of it, muttering at the woman to walk faster.

“Seriously?” Lena asked, raising a brow at Livewire, gesturing at the woman’s bound hands. “Untie her,” she demanded while she reached for the envelope she kept in her pocket.

Livewire cut the rope loose and accepted the envelope with an approving nod. “Always a pleasure doing business with you,” she said, and Lena did not agree with the sentiment.

“You can go now,” Lena told Livewire.

“Not a chance,” Livewire replied, grinning while she leaned against the nearest tree. “If you’re going to torture her, I want to watch.”

The woman screamed and scrambled until she was sitting against a tree with her knees pulled up under her chin, arms hugging her legs. “Torture?” she asked, voice high and panicked. “Please, I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I can get you money. I don’t have much, but whatever I have, you can have it.”

“Ignore her, I’m not going to torture you,” Lena said, revealing a vial of the truth serum she made. She had decided it was best to test it on a stranger. “What’s your name?”

“Julia, Julia Freeman.”

“Thank you for sharing your name with me,” Lena replied, if not a little forced. She wanted this human to relax. “Drink this,” she instructed, offering Julia the vial.

Julia’s hand was shaking and she kept glancing at Livewire, but she did drink the serum.

Lena imagined it was quite the shock for this stranger to be dragged out into the woods in the middle of the night, though she told Livewire not to use her powers. “You need to leave, now,” she hissed lowly at Livewire while she walked up to her in quick strides. “Leave or die,” she whispered in her ear.

Livewire muttered, transformed into electricity and disappeared faster than she had arrived.

Lena crouched down in front of the terrified human. “Shhh, everything will be okay,” she whispered, holding up her hands. “I will ask you a few questions and then I will let you go. Does that sound fair?”

Julia nodded and stared at Lena with wide eyes.

“What is the worst thing you have ever done in your life?”

“Three years ago, I took two trains to go to a market somewhere. I was on the second train back when I realized there was a pair of sunglasses I forgot to pay for. I should have gone back to pay for them, but I didn’t want to take those trains again and I was tired, so I didn’t go back.”

Lena was confused. Surely that was not the worst thing this woman had done. “If your enemies could fall severely ill, would you want them to?”

“I don’t have any enemies.”

Lena began to wonder where on earth Livewire found this woman. Either the serum was not working and she was lying or Julia was genuinely a good person. The latter was so rare it was near impossible to believe. Everyone had a dark side somewhere. All she had to do was dig deep enough to find it.

“Tell me a secret you never told anyone.”

“When I was a child, there was a girl in my class who never had a snack while everyone else did. My snack had chocolate in it. I told her I was allergic to chocolate and asked her if she wanted it because I couldn’t eat it anyway. I kept giving her my snack every day just to make her smile. I’m not allergic to chocolate.”

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. Livewire knew how to pick them. It was possible Livewire did this purely to spite her, not that Livewire knew what she needed a stranger for. She considered asking Julia how she lost her virginity, but that was a bridge too far, even for her.

“Why am I telling you this?” Julia asked, giving Lena the first sign the serum worked. “I don’t even know you.”

Lena asked a few more questions until she was convinced the serum worked. She let the woman go, which quickly turned out to be a grief mistake. In hindsight, she should have ensured the woman made it home safe and sound rather than let her wander through the woods in the middle of the night by herself. She heard Julia scream, but when she ran towards her, the damage was already done.

A vampire had bit Julia and was drinking her blood. Of course, a stranger by herself in the woods. It was an easy target, easy to dispose of without risking exposure and without getting heat from Carpe Noctem for it.

Lena should have walked away, as she always did during her years as a vampire. Instead, she grabbed the other vampire by his collar and yanked him back. “This one’s mine,” she snarled, baring her fangs.

The vampire mumbled an apology for stealing her food and sped off.

Julia trembled. Her fingertips touched her neck and came up with blood.

Lena felt a burn in the back of her throat upon smelling the fresh blood. She had two options; finish this herself or find out if Julia could survive to become a newborn. Not all humans survived being turned. The venom was aggressive. According to Brainy’s calculations, only sixty percent of humans survived being bitten. Even if successful, there was no telling how much of someone’s human side remained after being turned.

Julia gasped when Lena lifted her into her arms. “Wh-what a-are you?” she asked, covering her neck with her hand, blood seeped between her fingertips. “Where are y-you taking m-me?”

“This is my fault,” Lena whispered. She felt different when a tear slid down her cheek. Crying was foreign to her, but Julia was an innocent soul and did not deserve this curse. “I’m taking you to your new home. I’m not a warm or loving person, but I will protect you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara chewed on the end of her pen. Students in a nearby classroom were calling out things to their teacher, answers to questions which were being asked. It was a method she loathed. She preferred it if teachers chose a student to speak rather than allowing the class to become rowdy. Her pen broke and she sighed as ink spilled onto her paper, spreading out onto the notes she had been writing down.

Being back at school was supposed to be a good thing. Instead, she broke yet another alarm clock before she came to school, jumped up when the bell rang, was laughed at by some of her peers for the latter and now she couldn’t concentrate despite her best efforts. This was Miss Luthor’s class. She was invested in everything she had to say, but oh Rao, the noise from that other class.

Even Alex must have been able to hear it because she looked at her with sympathy and squeezed her knee.

Another sound caught her attention, a faintly familiar sound. She took a deep breath as Lena tapped her fingers against the pages of the book she was holding. The sound went on and on, pulling her away from the other sounds. Each tap sounded a little like how a beating heart was supposed to sound. She caught Miss Luthor looking at her and she knew she was tapping her fingers for her.

Lena kept helping her. Her teacher was the one who found her necklace, helped her with history and was helping her with her sensory overload. The light taps combined with Lena talking was soothing. She forgot about the other sounds, concentrating solely on what Miss Luthor was teaching and on her fingers tapping the pages of her book. Lena was right; prioritizing helped, choosing the right sounds helped.

“There will be a test next week,” Miss Luthor announced, earning collective groans and sighs. “Thirty percent of your total grade will depend on it. Make sure to read through your notes, those are important.”

Kara looked helplessly at the ink blots on her paper, but then her sister gave her a nudge and she knew she could copy her notes at home no problem. The bell rang and she flinched. Rao, she didn’t realize it was time for her lunch break already, not that she minded.

A couple of students snickered, having caught Kara’s reaction, but they snapped their mouths shut just as quickly when Alex looked at them like she was ready to swing.

“I’ll just, ah, questions and stuff,” Kara said vaguely to her friends, gesturing at the front of the class.

She exchanged a nod with Imra, who also knew the truth, since recently. Considering Miss Luthor did such a splendid job on finding her necklace, she asked Imra how she would feel about telling their teacher about her sister, how she was missing and how they hadn’t found her yet. Imra had given her permission to talk about it with Lena.

“Hey, so uh,” Kara said after the door and the blinds were closed. She grabbed a chair and put it down at the desk, sitting about twenty inches away from Miss Luthor. “You were good at finding my necklace and I was wondering if you can find a person for me. Technically it’s not for me, but for someone I care about,” she explained as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded photograph Imra gave her. “Imra lost her sister almost two years ago,” she said, unfolding the photograph. “Her name is Ayla.”

Lena took the photograph from Kara and studied it.

“She’s twenty-two and she was twenty when that picture was taken, so she’ll probably still look about the same,” Kara explained, pushing her glasses higher. “Nobody knows where she is. She could be literally anywhere in the world. I know this is a big ask, but I was wondering if you can try to find her? Maybe you have connections you can use, or I don’t know, I just thought you might be able to help. It would mean a lot to me and to Imra if you could help.”

“Imra’s sister,” Lena whispered, folding the photograph. “I’ll see what I can do. May I keep this?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Kara answered, smiling, hoping that with Lena’s help, Imra could be reunited with her sister soon. “Thank you so much.”

“I haven’t done anything yet.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Kara replied, finding herself even more drawn to Lena than she already did before. “You do so much. You help a lot. Speaking of help, I appreciate that you’re helping me with my sensory overload.”

Kara took a bite of her lunch, smiling at the way Lena wrinkled her nose just a little. It was hard to imagine the smell was repulsive to vampires, then again, the idea of drinking blood was repulsive to her, so she could somewhat picture it.

“I skis nahn zrhueiao means your eyes are beautiful,” Kara shared with a blush. “Now will you tell me how you can walk in the sun?”

“My memories are impeccable. You have yet to tell me the other half of what you said to me. Once you do so and if you can ensure me you will teach me more Kryptonese, I will answer your question.”

Kara groaned. She had hoped Lena would forget about the other half. “Zhehd pil khap khahsh kuhs rrip means they take my breath away from me. I was telling you your eyes are beautiful and that they take my breath away,” she revealed with a deep sigh. She dropped the rest of her sandwich onto her lap while Lena stared right at her. “You, ah, question…answer,” she said awkwardly, faltering more when Lena picked up her half-eaten sandwich from her lap.

When her teacher held out her sandwich to her, she took a bite without thinking. Lena bit her lip and she nearly choked on her sandwich. She wasn’t sure if Lena had meant to feed the rest of her lunch to her or not, but she took what was left out of her grasp to avoid further embarrassment.

“I created a potion,” Lena said while she opened her briefcase. “If I drink it once a week, it gives me immunity to the sun,” she explained, revealing a small bottle, no larger than a bottle of perfume.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena kicked in the door of the throne room, face awash with raw anger as she stormed inside. She was not here for pleasantries, not after what Carpe Noctem had done.

“You said Grace was allowed to live,” Lena seethed, voice low and dangerous. She expected at least two members of Carpe Noctem to try and halt her, but they appeared otherwise occupied. “I told her it was safe, I let her go outside and now she is dead.”

Lexa’s jaw tensed in the fleeting moment she made eye-contact with Lena before she shifted her attention back towards the vampire she was holding. The vampire was on his knees and she had a silver blade pressed against his cheek, searing his flesh.

Octavia ripped out the heart from another vampire and sped up to Lena. “It wasn’t us,” she said, gripping Lena’s arms. “Stand down, you do not wish to fight us and we do not wish to fight you.”

Lena took a moment to take in the situation unfolding right in front of her eyes. Several vampires were staked and withering away. Two were crippled on the floor at Psi’s feet. Brainy was tending to a wound on Raven’s arm. Lincoln’s shirt was coated in blood from the vampires he took down. Little by little, she puzzled together what was happening.

“We were attacked,” Octavia said, gritting her teeth as she let go of Lena’s arms.

Lena raised a brow. “Which fool dares attack Carpe Noctem?” she asked, though she was a hair away from attacking them herself. Grace was her responsibility and she failed her. It was supposed to be safe.

“And for which purpose?” Lena asked, wondering if someone was out for revenge.

“To overthrow us,” Psi answered. “They want to keep us from bringing justice where justice is due.”

“Sanguis Praedonum,” Lexa spoke up, tightening her grip on the vampire she had in her hold.

Lena knew the meaning of those words. It meant blood pirates, those whom plundered and stole blood. She even heard their name whispered once or twice over the centuries, though she did not know they existed. She believed if they ever did, they had gone extinct.  

“Humans and aliens have been disappearing in disturbing numbers,” Brainy informed Lena. “There is a clan named Sanguis Praedonum. They are the ones responsible for those disappearances. We are talking hundreds of people.”

“Blood slaves,” Octavia added, spitting out the words.

“Blood slaves?” Lena repeated, blinking her eyes once, perplexed. “It is against our law to have blood slaves,” she said, considering their kind deemed it barbaric, inhumane and unnecessary. Despite the fact vampires were allowed to kill on the condition no exposure took place, blood slaves were not allowed.

“Exactly,” Octavia confirmed. “They want to overthrow us so they can take control.”

“In the event of Carpe Noctem being overthrown,” Brainy said, “the balance will be disturbed. Vampires will be exposed and within a decade, the world would be overrun with vampires.”

Lexa added more pressure to the silver blade she held in her gloved hand. “Speak,” she said through gritted teeth, glaring at the vampire. “Tell us what you know and I shall end this quickly.”

The vampire trembled. It was a mere newborn, not cut out to take on Carpe Noctem. He was a pawn, easy to miss, the first to go down in battle.

“We killed Grace,” the vampire said. “Rhea, our leader, wanted her dead. She didn’t want Grace to work at a hospital and hand out supplies. Those are not Sanguis Praedonum’s ways. We don’t take blood from hospitals like some human digging through a dumpster for leftovers. We use fresh sources, fresh blood.”

“Your clan abducted humans and aliens,” Raven sneered at the vampire. “You’re cutting into them for their blood. Such actions violate our law. It’s inhumane and violent.”

“We aren’t human,” the vampire shot back. “Humans are weak, they are not our friendlies. They are our food. Humans are beneath us.”

Lena had done terrible things in her days as a vampire, but the idea of there being a clan who used blood slaves repulsed her. Whenever she killed someone, she aimed to make it as quick and painless as possible.

“What have you done to Reign?” Lexa asked the blood pirate. The vampire stared and frowned. “Answer me,” she demanded, scorching his skin with her silver blade.

Lena was surprised hearing Reign’s name drop. Reign had not been mentioned in almost a decade. She knew who Reign was, knew she was separated from Sam when both resided in Sam’s body. There was a prophecy Reign was bound to end vampires for once and all, which had made Reign a target, but not everyone was always what they appeared to be or what they were claimed to be. A witch had breathed life into the prophecy. She chose not to believe in the words of a delusional demented witch.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the blood pirate said, wincing as the silver burned him further. “My clan thought Reign was dead. We don’t have her, I swear.”

“Lies!” Lexa growled, stabbing her silver blade in the vampire’s shoulder. She looked around the throne room and narrowed her eyes. “Kill them all,” she told the other members of Carpe Noctem.

The blood pirate stared in shock as the last of his comrades were killed.

“Last chance,” Lexa said to the vampire. “Give us your location and tell us what you have done to Reign or I ensure a slow, painful death.”

“Please, I swear we know nothing of Reign. We thought she died years ago. Please, I’m telling you the truth. If she’s not dead, then I don’t know who has her, but it’s not us. If Rhea knew she was alive, she would hunt her, just like you are doing. We don’t have Reign, we never did. I’ll tell you everything I know, please, I don’t want to die.”

“A warrior does not beg,” Lexa replied, kicking the vampire down. “I met humans far braver than you.”

Lena listened as the blood pirate gave up the location of his clan. She watched as Lexa ripped out his heart and crumbled it into ashes. While she was still set on her decision not to join Carpe Noctem, she did agree to aid them in their mission to take down Sanguis Praedonum.

“What if he was speaking the truth about Reign?” Raven commented. “If they don’t have her, someone else does, but whom?”

Lexa looked at Lena. “This conversation cannot leave this room.”

“I understand,” Lena responded with a curt nod.

 


	13. Chapter 13

“You wanna be friends forever, I can think of something better,” Alex sang, lying down on her stomach on her bedroom floor, tilting her head from one side to the other. Her knees were bent and her legs were tangled together, elbows propped up.

Lucy was right next to Alex in the same position. Their elbows touched just barely. Her chin rested in one hand while she used the other to turn the pages of the magazine she brought for their sleepover.

It was weekend and Kara was thrilled when Alex suggested they could have a sleepover with Imra and Lucy. Jeremiah and Eliza agreed, though considering they were gone for the weekend, they made them promise not to throw some kind of party where they would invite half of the school. She assured them she didn’t want a party anyway, those were always loud.

Sleepover by Hayley Kiyoko was playing in the background because Lucy said they couldn’t have a sleepover without listening to that song. Lucy had called it gay culture, whatever that was supposed to mean.

Empty candy wrappers were scattered around and Kara added one more as she popped a piece of candy into her mouth. She sat in between Imra’s legs while Imra braided her hair, smiling as she kept hearing Alex singing along with the music.

“Wowzers, check her out,” Lucy said, pointing at a woman in the magazine.

Imra hovered closer to the magazine. “She has amazing legs. I love it when women have long legs.”

Alex hummed. “Her jawline is beautiful and she has killer eyes,” she said, exchanging a smile with the rest of them.

“You ever been with a girl?” Lucy asked, shifting her weight, nudging Alex with a sly grin.

Alex’s cheeks tinged red.

“I can set you up on a date if you want,” Lucy offered. “I know a few girls who’d definitely be down to date you.”

“No thanks,” Alex mumbled, ducking her head.

Lucy shrugged and skipped to the next page of the magazine.

“Large boobs,” Kara said when she caught a glimpse of the woman in the magazine.

Lucy smirked. “Well, well, what do you know, another baby gay.”

Kara huffed. “I’m not gay, Luce,” she replied, which really, she wasn’t. “Where I’m from, ah, gender doesn’t matter to me. If I like someone, then I like them, no matter which gender they are,” she explained, in her head adding species didn’t matter either.

She wasn’t opposed to dating humans, metahumans, aliens or even vampires, and whatever else there was out there, although thanks to Lena, she was starting to have an unexpected strong preference for vampires.

Alex gave Lucy a push when Lucy grinned, strong enough to make Lucy lose her balance. “Stop being so smug, asshole,” she said with a smile. “And I’m not a total baby gay. I’ve kissed a girl before.”

“Oh, my bad, I completely forgot kissing a girl gives you tons of experience,” Lucy replied, laughing when Alex chucked a pillow at her head. “Okay, I’ll tone it down. It’s exciting you finally accepted you’re one of us. You’ve been on my gaydar for some time.”

“Really?” Alex asked. “How can you tell someone’s gay or bi or just not straight?”

“Hmm,” Lucy hummed. “There are certain tells.”

Kara heard her sister’s pulse quickening. She knew Alex was worried Sam was a straight woman whom wasn’t interested in anything beyond friendship and was never going to be interested in more. “What kind of tells?” she asked Lucy. “I’m curious. Enlighten me, sensei.”

“Sensei,” Alex snorted, though she did mouth, “thank you,” to Kara when Lucy shared her knowledge.

They listened to more music, sang karaoke for a while, which resulted in Alex and Kara singing their heart out while Lucy and Imra took the role of background dancers.

Lucy let out a tiny shriek when Imra lifted her. “Fuck, you’re strong,” she said, gaping at Imra. “I’ll try and lift you,” she said, holding out her hands. “Come at me.”

Imra opened and closed her mouth. “Are you going to drop me?”

“Please, if I wanted you to fall for me I’d use my natural charm.”

“What natural charm?” Alex commented, smiling while Lucy shoved her.

Imra ran towards Lucy, but when Lucy tried to lift Imra, it ended with both of them tumbling down.

“Hey, beautiful,” Lucy said, smiling up at Imra who had fallen on top of her.

Imra smiled back. “Hey to you, too,” she replied, toying with a lock of Lucy’s hair. “It’s okay if you can’t lift me, seeing you is uplifting enough.”

Alex laughed while Lucy was utterly speechless. “I think you broke her,” she whispered to Imra, sharing a smile with her.

Kara shook her head at their silly antics.

Changed into pajamas, teeth brushed and mess cleaned up for about three quarters, they were all ready for bed. Kara had decided she was going to share her bed with Imra which left her sister to share with Lucy. She chose Imra solely for the fact she was the easiest to cuddle with without crushing her. She liked how she could always hug and cuddle Imra tighter than she could hug and cuddle Alex and Lucy.

It was a little small to share, considering her bed was just a single, not a double, but that meant more cuddles, so from her perspective, it was a bonus. She scooted under the covers, back pressed against the wall, making space for Imra, smiling when Imra snuggled close. Her best friend knew her well.

“This is awkward,” Alex muttered as she got into her bed with Lucy. “If you try anything funny I’ll kick your ass.”

Lucy huffed out a laugh. “Are you saying I can’t be chill because I’m bi?”

“I’m saying you can’t be chill because you’re you and you’re an asshole.”

“Love you too, Al,” Lucy replied, draping an arm around Alex.

Kara was all cuddled up with Imra and ready to sleep when she heard Lucy very quietly talking to Alex, asking if she was genuinely making her uncomfortable. She was just about to regret she was so quick to share a bed with Imra rather than with her sister or Lucy when she heard Alex whisper she was simply messing with her. Lucy might have been a tease, but underneath it all, she had a good heart.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam was used meeting Alex at night, but this time it was light out. Alex had texted her, asking if they could meet up. She wasn’t fond of going outside during the day, even though she drank Lena’s potions which gave her immunity from the sun, but she said yes immediately. She wouldn’t know where to begin to say no to her soulmate and she was always willing to see Alex as much as Alex was willing to see her.

“Hey, you,” Alex greeted Sam with a hug and a smile.

Sam lifted Alex as she hugged her back, spinning a slow circle before putting her down. “Always a pleasure seeing my favorite girl in the world,” she said, mentally scolding herself for her big mouth when Alex’s cheeks turned crimson.

“You’re my favorite too, Sam.”

Sam didn’t comment when Alex linked her arm with hers as they started walking together. “Did you sneak out again?” she asked, humored by Alex’s creative ways of sneaking out, although she wasn’t too fond of her climbing down from the roof.

“I told my parents I was going to the library. Kara is covering for me, so ipso facto, I didn’t sneak out this time,” Alex told Sam with a smile.

Sam wrapped her arms around Alex from behind and kissed her neck. “Smartass,” she whispered, tempted to spin Alex around and capture her lips, but it didn’t seem fair.

Alex was human and she deserved to have a good life with another human rather than being with someone like her. Vampires weren’t cut out to have a relationship with a human. It was too complicated, there were too many differences. She couldn’t even have dinner with Alex.

“That still counts as sneaking out,” Sam said, smiling while Alex huffed.

“Maybe I’m a rebel,” Alex replied with a shrug. “Deal with it.”

Sam’s heart soared as Alex grasped her hand. She pretended not to take notice and easily fell into step with Alex again.

They reached a garage Sam was renting where they had stored Alex’s motorcycle next to Sam’s motorcycle.

Alex fished her keys from her pocket. “Can you take me for a spin?” she asked, dangling her keys close to Sam’s face. “You’re a better driver than I am. I’m still learning.”

“Pity, I thought I would finally get the chance to hold on to you for a change,” Sam said, accepting the keys. “Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere with you,” Alex answered, winding her arms around Sam’s neck. “Your company is all I want.”

“Alex,” Sam whispered, feeling her heart ache strangely when Alex hurriedly put some distance in between them. “You’re very sweet,” she said, caressing Alex’s cheek.

“I’m glad we’re friends,” Alex said. “Good friends even, friends forever.”

Sam realized what she said could have been followed by a _‘but’_ and Alex might have read into it that way. She highly doubted Alex felt nothing more than friendship. If they were soulmates, it had to be a mutual feeling.

“I’d love to show you the world someday,” Sam said, swinging her leg over Alex’s motorcycle. “But it’s easier if I simply put you in front of a mirror.”

“Are you… did you just call me your world?” Alex asked, jaw slack while Sam started her motorcycle.

“I can’t hear you, Alex,” Sam called out over the noise of the motor.

“You can hear me just fine, you ass,” Alex muttered. “This asshole, I swear to god, I just want to grab her face and-” She snapped her mouth shut the second Sam shut off the engine.

“Are you going to hop on? I’m not getting any younger.”

“I can see that,” Alex replied, pushing her leather jacket back, resting her hands on her hips. “Are you sure vampires don’t age or was that grey hair always there?”

Sam had her arms around Alex in a split second. “I could bite you,” she whispered, placing an open-mouthed kiss on Alex’s neck, though she wasn’t going to.

“Are you saying you keep kissing my neck because you’re thirsty? With you being a vampire and all that, who knows how long it’s been for you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The flowers in the front garden were long dead, the grass was knee-high and paint was flaking from the window frames. As Lena pushed open the front door, the smell of dried up blood hit her. There were patches of damp mold creeping up the walls. The floorboards were uneven and creaked with each step she took, no matter how light. How anyone was kept alive in this house was beyond her.

This was it. This was the location Lexa had managed to get out of the blood pirate. Battle cries sounded outside. She took another step with Lexa in tow while the other members of Carpe Noctem were fighting members of Sanguis Praedonum outside. They were outnumbered. The blood pirates had an estimated thirty to forty members, judging from the number of footsteps.

But Sanguis Praedonum was not as diverse as Carpe Noctem was. They had no witch in their midst or a metahuman like Carpe Noctem had Psi. Another weakness of the blood pirates was the amount of newborns.

A handful of vampires charged at Lena and Lexa, holding stakes.

Lena shared a devious smile with Lexa. She knew how to fight alongside the head of Carpe Noctem. They covered each other’s back while they tore through the blood pirates and the others who followed.

“Rhea is getting away,” Octavia said, from somewhere outside.

“Cowardly blood pirate!” Raven grumbled. “We will get you!”

“My bloody ears, Raven,” Octavia muttered. “Don’t shout while you’re standing next to me.”

“Argh, fuck, O. I’m sorry. Watch out for that sta- never mind.”

Lena heard necks being snapped outside while she moved further through the house. There was a multitude of heartbeats nearby. She counted thirty-four of them. If hundreds of people were taken, the majority either died or was placed elsewhere. The closer she came to the sounds, the more she picked up on various scents from humans and several alien species.

She caught a stake, snapped it in half and speared two vampires with it. No more vampires came running towards them. She spotted a door with multiple chains wrapped around the handle. Rather than kicking in the door, she tore it off and threw it behind her.

Humans and aliens were chained up. They were sitting on thin pieces of carton. There was a large bowl filled with water in the middle of the room and a loaf of bread, which was decidedly nowhere near fresh let alone edible. Every single human and alien was wounded, some more than others.

“Clarke?” Lexa whispered. A tear slid down her cheek as she fell down on her knees in front of a girl with blonde hair. The girl had deep cuts all over her exposed arms, her clothes had a couple of holes in them, dirt was caked onto her face and under her nails, and her hair was a tangled mess.

Lena was perplexed seeing Lexa cry if only a single tear. “You know her?” she asked, but even without an answer, she saw it in Lexa’s eyes. That human was Lexa’s soulmate and she was dying.

Her attention was drawn by a girl with wavy brown hair. The resemblance between the girl and Imra was striking, and she recognized her from the photograph Kara had given her. Only, the girl appeared thinner and she was wounded. While she approached her, she caught a brief glimpse of Lexa biting Clarke. It was such a fleeting moment, she nearly missed it.

“These people cannot be permitted to expose us,” Lexa spoke up.

Lena knew Lexa meant they had to die. This was not a rescue mission, after all. There was no saving the blood slaves, they were already marked to die the moment Sanguis Praedonum abducted them. As soon as the other members of Carpe Noctem were done finishing off the blood pirates outside, they were going to come in here to help get rid of the bodies.

“I won’t let her die,” Lena said while she broke Imra’s sister free from those chains. The girl’s wrists were red and raw, and so were her ankles. There was a haunted look in her eyes and a dark purple bluish bruise marred her cheek.

Lexa’s eyes hardened. “That is not your decision to make,” she whispered as she broke the girl she had called Clarke free from those chains. “I can only make an exception for those who have been bitten.” 

Lena’s eyes shifted towards Clarke and then back to Lexa. The only one who was bit was Clarke, she was nearly certain of that. “Let me have this girl and nobody has to know what I saw,” she whispered, watching as Lexa looped an arm around Clarke. Even without leverage, she was not leaving without Imra’s sister. “A life for a life, choose.”

Lexa caressed Clarke’s cheek with a soft look in her eyes. She turned her head back to Lena, nodded and pointed at the back door, allowing Lena to escape with Imra’s sister before the others joined them.

Lena hoisted the weakened girl into her arms and ran. She ran until she was close to her mansion. “Is your name Ayla Ardeen?” she asked in a whisper, setting the girl down for a moment. Smelling the girl’s blood was putting a strain on her self-control.

The girl’s heart instantly beat a little faster. “No, I’m an orphan. I don’t have any family.”

Lena did not need her truth serum to know the girl was lying. It was clever. Vampires with wrong intentions would stoop as low as to go after someone’s family. To such people, family meant leverage. “Are you certain?” she asked, revealing the photograph she was given.

“H-how did you get that? Is my family okay?”

“Your family is alive and well. You’re going home, Ayla.”

“The others…,” Ayla whispered. “They wanted to kill me. You saved my life. Why? What kind of vampire are you?”

If Kara had not asked Lena to aid in finding Ayla, then this girl would have died to avoid risking exposure. There was no telling what Ayla might share with others. She did this for her soulmate and because she told Kara she would not harm her or the people she cared about. Indirectly, Ayla was one of those people. She was not a saint, a savior or a hero. Without Kara’s influence, she would have left Ayla to die with the rest of the unfortunate people who were used as blood slaves.

Refraining from providing an answer, she scooped Ayla up and carried her into her mansion. “Sam, restrain Julia,” she instructed as she lowered Ayla onto the table.

“Fresh blood,” Sam whispered, hissing as her fangs appeared. She had her arms wound around Julia, who was struggling with her thirst.

“Control yourselves,” Lena whispered to Sam and Julia, observing their red eyes and their fangs. She knew they could not help it. Their nature made it difficult to resist. She was over six centuries old and she struggled also.

She grabbed a medical kit and stilled for a moment, hating she could not save Grace because at the time she had no knowledge of Sanguis Praedonum. It angered her Rhea managed to get away, though she had no doubt Carpe Noctem would make finding her a priority. After she cleaned Ayla’s wounds, she drew a bath for her and gave her clothes.

“I don’t know why you’re doing this,” Ayla whispered. “But thank you,” she sniffled. She squeezed Lena’s hand in what Lena assumed was gratitude.

Lena’s first instinct was to withdraw her hand and lash out at Ayla for overstepping. Instead, she opened her arms to the foreign feeling of a hug. “There… there,” she whispered, hand hovering near the girl’s hair, touching her as little as possible. “It’s over now, you’re safe.”

 


	14. Chapter 14

Kara cried as she watched Imra running towards her sister. It reminded her of those tender moments in movies where two people saw each other again after a long time, but this was real and it didn’t happen in slow motion.

Imra and Ayla both ran as fast as they could and they were crying.

“Ayla,” Imra whispered, hugging her arms around her sister.

“My little sister,” Ayla replied, smiling through her tears. “You have grown a little.”

“You were gone so long,” Imra choked out. “Where were you?”

Ayla wiped at her tears. “I got lost,” she answered, clenching and unclenching her fingers. “She found me,” she said, pointing at Lena. “I was in an old building with others who were lost, too. She told me she knew you and that she could help me find you, so I followed her and here I am.”

Imra gripped her sister’s arms. “You look like you lost weight,” she said, swallowing thickly. “Were you starving?” she asked, touching her fingertips to the remnants of a faded bruise on Ayla’s cheek.

Kara frowned and looked at Lena. She had a feeling there was something Ayla wasn’t telling Imra. One quick scan of her x-ray vision as she pushed her glasses lower told her Ayla had a couple of wounds, which were in the process of healing.

“I was sharing what I had with the others who were lost,” Ayla answered, sighing as Imra took her hands in hers. “I’m back now. I can finally be your sister again, that’s all that matters.”

Tears streamed down Imra’s face. She sucked her lips into her mouth and nodded, hugging her arms around her sister again.

Kara sighed quietly as Imra and Ayla left after they both thanked Lena. She waited a moment and smiled softly at Lena.

Lena was stiff when Kara hugged her.

Kara tightened her grip, unsure how much strength she could use without hurting Lena, but even when she hugged her tighter than Imra could bear, Lena didn’t show any sign of pain. “Thank you,” she whispered, exhaling quietly when she felt Lena hugging her back.

Cold lips kissed her temple and she hoped Lena had a decent hold on her because she might actually faint. She had meant to give a brief hug, but being able to hug someone this tight felt special and she didn’t want to let go. All she wanted was to hold on tighter and to just stay like this for a while.

“They won’t tell anyone,” Kara whispered, sighing quietly as their hug broke. “Imra is my best friend and they’re good people. Your secret is safe.”

“I’m not worried.”

“Good, that’s good,” Kara replied, adjusting her glasses. “Do you, um, maybe want to do something together? I have no plans for the rest of the day and I don’t know if you do, but if you don’t, then maybe you can have plans with me now? I could teach you more Kryptonese and we could, ah, talk.”

Lena raised a brow. The rest of her posture was unreadable. “Outside of school?”

“Um, yes?” Kara answered, shuffling her feet. “We can go to school if that’s what you prefer, but I doubt breaking and entering is appreciated.”

The corners of Lena’s mouth curled upwards an inch for a second or two before she drew her lips into a thin line. “What do you have in mind, Kara?” she asked, blinking when Kara let out a squeal. “Oh my,” she chuckled.

Kara felt her cheeks heat up. Oh Rao, she hadn’t meant to squeal aloud. She thought Lena was going to say no or tell her she had other things to do. Now that Lena actually said yes, she had to think fast as to what they could do.

A smile formed on her face when she had an idea. “What happened to Ayla?” she asked as she set out a path to head towards the woods. “I know her story wasn’t exactly true.”

“She was captured by a vampire clan named Sanguis Praedonum.”

“Blood pirates?” Kara asked, grimacing as she thought of the wounds she saw on Ayla’s body. She smiled when Lena stopped walking in favor of staring at her. “Oh, I know Latin,” she explained, waving it off. “Okay, so a vampire clan captured her.”

“You must understand you cannot share this with anyone, not even your sister,” Lena cautioned. “I’m not supposed to talk about this.”

Kara wanted to ask why Lena was telling her then, but she bit her tongue instead and nodded. She listened intently while Lena told her how hundreds of humans and aliens had been disappearing because Sanguis Praedonum took them. Apparently, Ayla was taken shortly after she landed on earth and managed to survive because she was more resilient than most. She swallowed when Lena told her about the house, about the poor conditions there and all the people who were chained up.

“The leader got away?” Kara asked, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. “Do you think she’ll be found and stopped before she can hurt others? Maybe I can-”

“No,” Lena harshly interrupted. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Why not? Why am I so important to you, Lena?”

“You’re my student, that’s all,” Lena answered, not looking Kara in the eye. “And I consider you a friend,” she added when Kara shifted until she had to look at her.

Kara held Lena’s gaze and she felt that burn in her chest again. She had a feeling there were unshared secrets, not that she was eager to share hers. She wasn’t going to tell Lena she had feelings for her.

“How fast can you run?” Kara asked, smiling as she gestured vaguely at the woods.

“I can’t outrun a Kryptonian, though I take it you haven’t practiced and with all these trees, you need to dodge a lot. I’ve lived for… quite a while and happen to have perfected dodging.”

It was true Kara hadn’t practiced, but her speed should come to her naturally. Maybe woods weren’t the ideal place, though on the other hand, it kept them covered a lot more than open areas could. Dodgeball was easy enough, so surely dodging trees couldn’t be that much harder.

“You almost told me your age,” Kara said, smiling while she stretched. “Are you ever going to tell me?”

“It’s rude to ask my age.”

Kara found it cute how Lena was trying to sound like an intimidating vampire. “Aren’t you going to stretch?”

“I never tire. Vampires need not stretch,” Lena answered, leaning against a tree. “My stamina is endless.”

“You don’t need to breathe and your stamina is endless, that must be really appreciated by… ah, okay, I’m done stretching.”

“Appreciated by…?” Lena asked with a sideways smile. “Do tell. I’m all ears.”

“Nothing,” Kara whispered, doing everything she could not to look at Lena.

She shouldn’t have said that without thinking first. Oh Rao, it was bad she was thinking about Lena making out with someone and the worst part was that she wanted Lena to make out with her. She wondered what it would feel like to feel Lena’s cold lips on hers. Her heart might literally explode. She wasn’t sure how yet, but the burn inside of her chest was linked to Lena.

“Ready?” Kara asked, setting one foot a bit further than the other.

“I feel sorry for the trees you’ll bump into.”

Kara guffawed. Rao, that was mean. “Set,” she said, feeling her enthusiasm bubble up. “Go!”

The woods really did have a lot of trees to dodge. She managed to dodge the first dozen or so while keeping a decent speed. At some point she felt Lena tug at her arm, avoiding colliding with a tree by a hair. Halfway through the woods, she was getting more into it, although she was starting to get hungry. She waved when she ran past Lena, only to knock cheek-first into a tree.

Lena was at Kara’s side immediately, cradling her face in her hands, thumbing at her cheeks.

Kara’s breath hitched. Lena was so close, if she leaned in just a little, she could kiss her. Lena’s hands were cold to the touch, but she liked it because it reminded her of eating ice cream during the hottest summer days. She was fine. The cracked tree, on the other hand, wasn’t.

She didn’t kiss Lena, but she did lean her head forward enough to rest it against Lena’s. The thumbs which were stroking her cheeks stopped. Silence fell around them. She didn’t hear much other than her own heart and her own shallow breaths. Lena felt like a calm center and brought her back to the days where she walked to the ocean to clear her head.

“I may have bumped into a tree, but I still outran you,” Kara whispered, sharing a smile with Lena.

“Congratulations, you must be so proud.”

“You didn’t let me win, did you?” Kara asked, chewing her lip, smiling again when Lena shook her head. “Well then yes, I’m proud.”

“That makes two of us,” Lena replied, making Kara’s heart flutter. “Any other ideas to pass the time?”

“You don’t want a rematch? Actually, wait, I’m hungry. Are you hungry, or erm, thirsty?”

Lena reached into her pocket and revealed a flask.

“That answers that,” Kara whispered, wandering out of the woods so she could get some food. “What was your life like before you became a vampire? Do you remember being human?”

Lena took a step back, glanced at Kara and immediately looked away again. “Ask something else,” she said, voice flat.

“O-kay,” Kara whispered, frowning. “What’s your most beautiful memory?”

Lena smiled and held Kara’s gaze. “That’s private,” she said, dragging her eyes away, shifting them towards the sky.

Kara found her curiosity growing, especially with Lena being all mysterious and secretive. She wanted to know everything about Lena, her likes, and dislikes, what made her smile and what made her cry, the kind of things that caught her eye; every little thing.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena loathed this day. It had barely begun, but she already hated it. She kept her eyes slightly narrowed as she wandered into the kitchen to enjoy a cup of blood. There was a bowl of plastic items on the table. It even had a plastic smell attached to it.

“Is that fake fruit on our table?”

“It is,” Sam answered, smiling while she leaned her shoulder against Julia’s. “Julia suggested making our mansion a bit homier and I agreed.”

“We bought new pillows for the couch,” Julia added. “They’re very soft, perfect for movie nights.”

“Sounds…” Awful, horrible, utterly terrible, despicable, unacceptable. God, she was living with the two softest vampires in all of history. “Fantastic.”

“It’s unfortunate you weren’t there when we went shopping,” Sam said with a smile.

Right, unfortunate was definitely the word that came to Lena’s mind. So very unfortunate she missed out on people crowded in a tiny mall as if they were a bunch of bees drawn to honey. It was rather surprising Sam took Julia shopping, considering to the last of her knowledge, Julia had not gone outside yet. Her surprise must have been visible.

“Julia did great,” Sam said, patting Julia’s shoulder. “We took a flask with us and she did a good job at controlling her thirst. Very impressive for such a young newborn.”

“Impressive indeed,” Lena agreed. “Well done, Julia.”

Julia’s whole face brightened at the praise.

Lena knew their eyes were on her while she poured herself a cup of blood. She knew Sam ignored all of her previous grumblings. Of course, that bitch did. Her friend did this to her every year since the year she took her in.

Sam and Julia slowly tiptoed towards Lena. “Happy birthday,” they whispered in sync, kissing her cheeks.

Lena might actually kill them.

“Come with us,” Sam said, grasping Lena’s hand.

Lena felt strange when Julia copied Sam and grabbed her other hand. This whole handholding was not right. It was infuriating what she had to put up with. Julia and Sam were both soft and surprisingly human for vampires. They were affectionate in ways she never was. Even as a human she was not affectionate, not that anyone had love to give to an orphan. Her human years were the darkest years of her life and then she died.

With matching smiles, Sam and Julia gestured at the candles outside. They were all lit and if Lena had to guess she would say there were six-hundred and sixty-six of them.

“You have to blow them out and make a wish,” Julia said.

“Have to?” Lena asked, mildly offended at being told what to do. She noticed Sam gave her a pleading look. “I suppose I do,” she relented, though if she ever found out how to kill a vampire without permanently killing them, Sam might be the first she would try that on.

She dragged as much air into her lungs as she could and started blowing out the candles with help from Sam and Julia, wishing they would never celebrate her birthday again. In hindsight, she should have never told Sam how old she was and on which day her birthday was, although if she could go back in time, she might have left that sentimental vampire to die.

“You know,” Sam said while the grass was on fire. “I might not have thought this one through.”

“It was a lot of candles,” Julia added.

“Did someone say candles?”

Lena raised a brow when Lexa stepped out from the shadows, impressed she had not heard her footsteps, though she knew Lexa to be particularly light on her feet. “Are you a candle sniffer in your free time?” she asked, crossing her arms, taking a step and another until Julia and Sam were standing behind her. “What brings you here, other than the candles?”

She trusted Lexa about as far as a human was capable of throwing her. It was unusual for Lexa to come to her house. So far she heard no others, making it possible Lexa came alone, although she would not put it past her she might have brought the other members of Carpe Noctem with her. If that was so, then Lexa only brought Octavia and Lincoln. The others had a heartbeat and she heard none of those.

“I wanted to wish you a happy birthday,” Lexa answered, clasping her hands behind her back as she took a step towards Lena. “Six-hundred and sixty-six is a special number.”

“And?” Lena prodded.

A flicker of red passed through Lexa’s eyes. “You know me well, old friend,” she replied, unclasping her hands. “I wanted to meet the new addition to your…family.”

“You need not reach for your sword to meet Julia,” Lena said, leveling Lexa with a pointed look, seeing how the head of Carpe Noctem tried subtly reaching for the hilt of her sheathed sword. “I can rip out your heart faster than you can draw your sword. Not a threat, just a fact.”

Lexa lifted her hand away from her sword. “I am not here to eliminate anyone.”

“You just have a knack for wanting to appear powerful,” Sam said to Lexa.

Lena stepped forward and gripped Lexa’s arm. “Did the girl survive?” she asked, remembering how wounded Clarke was and how according to Brainy, there was always a forty percent chance someone did not survive being turned.

Lexa gave the faintest nod before her eyes shifted from Lena to Julia. She held out her arm, taking it back when Julia shook her hand rather than clasping her arm.

Julia frowned. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, looking at Sam and Lena for answers.

“It’s not you,” Sam said to Julia, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s her.”

“We don’t shake hands,” Lena informed Julia.

Lexa clasped Julia’s upper arm.

“That’s a really tight grip,” Julia said, making a face.

Lexa eased her grip when Lena’s fingers curled around her wrist. “You would fight me for a newborn?” she asked, turning her head to the side to look Lena right in the eyes.

“As you said, she’s family,” Lena answered, exerting a fair amount of her strength. “How far do you think I’ll go? Touch them…”

“And I touch you,” Lexa added knowingly.

Lena knew they had that in common. If someone touched Lexa’s family, she was just as protective. She let go of Lexa’s wrist once Lexa let go of Julia’s arm.

Later that day when the night had fallen Lena went down to her lab. She was tired of pointless celebrations. She knew Sam and Julia meant well, but she was not kidding when she said she did not want a birthday party of any kind.

The curtain slid open as she entered her lab.

“I brought you something,” Lena said, holding out a small plastic bag. Curious eyes watched her as she emptied the contents of the bag onto the table. “I know lollipops are your favorite. Go on, you can have one.”

Bare footsteps approached but did not reach for the lollipops.

Lena took a step back and held up a hand. “What do you want?” she asked, narrowing her eyes when a warm hand grabbed her cold one.

“Stay with me.”

Lena looked down at their linked hands. Loneliness; that was what this was about. She could stay for a while, though not too long. Staying for the night was the most she could do if she was capable of lasting that long without drinking.

“Hop onto the table,” Lena instructed. She freed her hand, reached for a needle and filled it with liquid. “Give me your arm.”

Hazel eyes stared at the needle. The outstretched arm was withdrawn before Lena could inject the liquid.

Lena wrapped her fingers around the woman’s right arm. “Hold still,” she said, softening her grip when she felt the woman trembling. She put the needle down and cradled the woman’s face in her hands. “This won’t hurt you, mo pheata. I’m trying to give you vitamins, for your health,” she explained while her thumbs caressed wet cheeks.

“You need these vitamins because you lack sunlight,” Lena said, slowly bringing her hands down. “Take deep breaths and give me your arm. It’s only vitamins, I promise.”

Once the woman calmed down enough, she managed to give her the dose of vitamins she needed. She knew needles were a sore spot for the woman and she was not surprised when a warm body wrapped around hers. With some hesitation, she ran her hand through those long brown locks.

The sound of plastic wrinkling as the woman opened the wrapper of a lollipop was annoying, but the smile she earned for bringing her lollipops was worth it.

“Feeling better, pheata?” Lena asked, brushing a lock of the woman’s hair behind her ear.

“Yes, Magdalena Morningstar.”

Lena faltered a step. “Don’t call me that,” she whispered. She never told anyone she was a descendant of Gabriel Morningstar; the vampire who was the reason vampires had soulmates. In fact, she hardly believed she was truly his descendant.

“Don’t call me pheata. You know that is not my name.”

 


	15. Chapter 15

Kara stretched out her arms with a blissful smile on her face. There was a flicker of sunlight seeping through the small gap in between the curtains, tickling her cheek. She welcomed the warmth, swung her legs over the edge of her bed and pushed herself up to go soak up some more sunlight.

Alex groaned loudly when sunlight spilled into their bedroom. “Really, Satan? You can’t even give me a minute to wake up?” she muttered, voice ridden with sleep as she rubbed at her eyes with her knuckles.

“I can do what I want today,” Kara said with an innocent shrug and a smile. She spun a slow circle, arms spread, inhaling as she was starting to feel particularly recharged.

“Fucking sun, I swear,” Alex muttered under her breath while she clambered out of her bed. “Why does it have to be so bright?”

Kara let out a light chuckle. “You sound like such a vampire sometimes.”

“Yeah well, I guess I’m kind of nocturnal,” Alex mumbled, fighting off a yawn. She dragged her feet across the floor. “Happy birthday,” she said, wrapping Kara up in a hug.

Kara beamed and hugged her sister back. Her birthday was one of her absolute favorite days of the year. Birthdays meant pancakes for breakfast, lots of cake, lots of hugs and gifts. “Don’t let go yet, I want an extra-long hug,” she whispered, burying her face in the crook of Alex’s neck.

“Having a twin sister is nice,” Kara sighed.

“For the umpteenth time, I’m not your twin, Kara. I’m a whole month older than you.”

“I was stuck in the Phantom Zone for more than two decades, so I beg to differ, Alex.”

“Is that supposed to help your statement about us being twins?”

Kara smiled and sauntered over to her closet to select an outfit. Having a twin sister wouldn’t have been such a bad thing. Back on Krypton she always wanted to have a sibling, but she didn’t know to get a sister meant her planet was gone.

She opted for pastels while Alex was debating which one of her black shirts matched best with her black skinny jeans. Half an hour later, she exited the bathroom, fully dressed and a smile plastered on her face as she welcomed the scent of pancakes. Oh Rao, sugary sweetness for breakfast was the best.

“Good morning,” Eliza said, placing a plate filled with pancakes onto the table. She smiled while she walked over to Kara. “Happy birthday, honey.”

Kara stepped into Eliza’s open arms. “Thanks, Eliza,” she replied, hugging her gently.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Jeremiah said, hugging Kara the second Eliza let go.

“Thanks, Jeremiah,” Kara replied, smiling from ear to ear. “Is that my plate?” she asked, licking her lips, gesturing at the table.

“Some of those pancakes are for your sister,” Eliza answered. “Good morning, sweetie,” she said, looking up at the stairs while Alex descended them.

“Morning, mom. Morning, dad,” Alex said, slipping her arm into her leather jacket. “I’m not really feeling pancakes for breakfast. Knock yourself out, Kara.”

Kara didn’t need to be told twice. She grabbed a chair, plopped down and by the time her sister sat down, she had devoured half of her first pancake. She had a feeling Alex just said she didn’t want pancakes so she could eat them all. They both had a sweet tooth.

“No phones at the table,” Eliza said to Alex, who was on her phone, texting. “You’ll see your friends plenty at school.”

“Not her, she doesn’t go to Midvale High,” Alex replied with a sigh, pocketing her phone.

“You have a friend outside of school?”

“What’s her name?” Jeremiah asked. “Where did you meet?”

“Oh my god,” Alex groaned, burying her hands in her hair. “Why am I being interrogated?”

“We’re not interrogating you, honey,” Eliza said while she poured herself a cup of coffee. “Your father and I are curious who you’ve been texting so much because we’re your parents and we love you. We’re happy to see you smiling. Your _friend_ must be special.”

Kara felt Alex squeeze her knee under the table. She slid one hand under the table, grabbed her sister’s hand and brushed her thumb over her knuckles. “We meet people at the library sometimes,” she told Eliza and Jeremiah. “And Luce knows a bunch of people from college.”

“Alright, as long as you’re being careful,” Eliza said with a tight-lipped smile.

Jeremiah smiled softly at Alex and then at Kara, smearing butter on his toast. “Are you coming home straight after school or are you planning on hanging out with your friends for a bit?”

“Um, we might hang out with our friends for a while,” Kara answered, unsure.

“We probably won’t be home immediately,” Alex added. “It’s Kara’s birthday, so we’ll be hanging out.”

“We’ll save the cake in the fridge,” Jeremiah ensured Kara with a wink and a smile.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena arrived at school when she caught on to multiple conversations taking place at once. The one that stood out was the conversation Kara was having with her friends. She was about to place her attention elsewhere as to not rudely eavesdrop when she overheard something that piqued her interest.

Weeks ago, she arranged a gift, not knowing when Kara’s birthday was exactly. She had decided giving her a gift was appropriate, considering she referred to Kara as a friend and Kara had given her a gift for Christmas. Currently, the gift was in her briefcase, where she kept it safe. Kara sounded quite joyful she turned eighteen today.

It was a joy she could not imagine emitting. In that aspect, her soulmate was her polar opposite. Hearing Kara laugh all soft and melodious was enchanting. Her eyes locked with those gentle blues. Rather than looking away, she held Kara’s gaze and smiled at her. Kara instantly lit up, giving her heart that familiar pang. It was as if her body was trying to teach her how to be human again, not that being a vampire could ever be reversed.

The bell rang and she went about her day, teaching history to her students. Kara entered her classroom with the other seniors. It was the last class right before the lunch break. She found herself distracted at every turn as Kara’s tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth, face scrunched up adorably in concentration as she wrote down notes. It was incredible how she managed to spark Kara’s interest in history where at first there was none.

Ever since she found Ayla and reunited her with her sister, Imra smiled at her every class as if she hung up the moon for her. She knew Imra was beyond grateful. The girl gave her a wellness package, courtesy of her parents. It was kind, though entirely unnecessary. Occasionally, she asked Imra how Ayla was doing and she was pleased to hear the older girl was healing well. At times her thoughts drifted, wondering if any others from those blood slaves could have been saved. Surely not all of them were out to expose their kind, but it was too late either way.

“Kara Danvers,” Lena spoke up after the bell rang, signaling their lunch break. “A word, please.”

“Um, sure, Miss Luthor,” Kara replied, waving her hand at her sister and her friends.

“You good?” Lucy asked Kara.

Kara hummed. “I’ll catch up with you soon.”

Lena waited for a beat until the other students were gone. She placed her briefcase on her desk and curled her finger, making a come here signal at Kara. Once Kara was in front of her desk, she opened her briefcase and revealed a wrapped gift.

“Happy birthday, Kara,” Lena whispered, enamored by the sparkle in Kara’s eyes.

Kara’s smile was positively radiant. “Thank you, Lena,” she whispered, letting out a tiny squeal when Lena walked around her desk to hug her.

Lena kissed Kara’s cheeks three times. It was strange yet it felt right. With each press of her lips, Kara’s heart beat a tad faster. Kara smelled of flowers, presumably a perfume she used.

Kara’s cheeks were slightly pinker than they were a moment ago. She glanced at Lena, smiled and adjusted her glasses before opening the gift. “Oh Rao,” she whispered, gasping. “I thought you didn’t like gadgets,” she said while she observed the mini projector.

The projector was no larger than a cube which fit in one hand. Lena adjusted it herself after she gathered as much information as she could from Kara. She switched off the lights, making her classroom as dark as possible.

“I won’t keep you from your friends much longer,” Lena said reassuringly, understanding Kara intended to have her lunch break with her friends today, as she should. “Give it a try.”

Kara took off her glasses and pushed the button on the side of the projector. She set it down on one of the desks in the classroom and gaped as Krypton was projected onto the walls and the ceiling.

“I included as many details as I could, from your tales of Krypton,” Lena said, nearly losing her balance when Kara barreled into her.

Kara’s strong arms wound around Lena. She was shaking a little as she cried. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, exhaling shakily. “You’re _so_ nice, are you sure you aren’t an angel?”

Lena was quite certain she was most definitely not an angel. She was a fallen angel at best if one was willing to squint and see past the countless mistakes she made throughout the centuries.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex placed her sunglasses atop her hair and squinted at the sun. There was a breeze from the wind, the sky was blue, though the weather forecast predicted it might rain later in the day. Her parents were under the impression she was out to see a friend. While that wasn’t a complete lie, they assumed she was talking about someone from high school.

Lying sucked at times. Her parents were curious by how much she had her phone in her hand, texting whilst smiling. It wasn’t like she could tell them she was a lesbian who was falling in love with a woman she met at the hospital, while said woman was there to get blood because said woman was a vampire. She hadn’t decided yet when to come out to her parents, worried they might not be okay with her not being straight.

It helped she had friends who weren’t straight either, but Lucy told her she got a lot of heat from her father when she told him she was bisexual. Imra, on the other hand, didn’t even have to come out because her family had the same mindset as Kara did, where gender was irrelevant. She wished everyone would have that mindset. Coming out was nerve-wracking and just thinking about it made her dizzy.

“Hey, sexy,” Alex called out with a chuckle. Her eyes raked down Sam’s body. The fact Sam was wearing leather pants should have been illegal.

Sam smiled, opened her arms and lifted Alex just enough for her feet to no longer touch the ground. “Hey,” she whispered into Alex’s ear. “Are you ready to go for a ride?”

Alex inhaled Sam’s orange blossom shampoo. She learned a while back Sam appreciated the scent of flowers, but not the scent of anything food related. “I was born ready,” she answered, sighing quietly at the loss of contact when Sam put her down.

She grabbed her helmet and shook her head when Sam walked over to her motorcycle. “You’re riding with me today,” she said, feeling she had enough of a handle on how to properly ride a motorcycle.

Her parents would completely freak out if they learned she had a motorcycle. They would freak out even more if they knew she was driving it, in particular, because she didn’t have the right paperwork for it. She knew she was breaking rules, though Sam didn’t seem to mind. At least she wasn’t doing drugs. Riding a motorcycle gave her a much better high than drugs could. She loved feeling the adrenalin rush through her body when she sped up.

“Am I dreaming?” Sam commented, watching Alex while Alex swung her leg over her motorcycle.

“Are you saying catching a ride with me is a dream come true?” Alex asked, cheeks pinking when Sam smirked at her. “Hop on and hold on tight.”

“I wouldn’t recommend tight. I’ll hold on lightly.”

Alex waited, feet braced on the ground and hands wrapped around the handlebars. She felt Sam swinging her leg over her motorcycle behind her. When Sam pressed her front into her back, she held her breath. Arms snaked around her waist and god, what even was breathing?

She revved her motorcycle, smiling as her motorcycle glided over the road. The wind brushed through her hair. There was a faint smell of gasoline and leather. The faster she went, the more everything around them flashed by in a blur of colors. She zigzagged in between cars with practiced ease, until open roads with little to no traffic spilled out in front of them.

After an hour and a half, she pulled to a stop when they reached the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Motorcycle parked and helmets put aside, they entered the forest together. It was still bright out, though the sky was growing overcast with spots of grey.

“I’ve been here before,” Sam said, peering around. “There’s a creek nearby.”

Alex took a deep breath, soaking up nature. Her pinkie brushed Sam’s pinkie. By now she was quite used to the cold touch of Sam’s skin. “I used to come here once a year with my dad,” she shared, touching Sam’s fingertips.

With the next brush, Sam entwined their fingers.

Alex considered going to the creek, but she knew the water was bound to be freezing. It was only March and without her jacket, she would be too cold. There was a multitude of trees around them with a hiking trail on their right and one on their left.

“What was your life like before you became a vampire?”

“I was an orphan,” Sam answered, giving in to Alex swinging their arms back and forth. “My life has been better since I became a vampire. Better because I have a family of sorts. I’m rather family orientated, I’ve always wanted to have a family. There are downsides to being a vampire, but the pros outweigh the cons.”

Alex could relate to being family orientated. She couldn’t imagine her life without her family in it. “What do you miss most about being human?”

“I miss being able to get a tan. I’m not the palest vampire, thankfully, but I used to love sunbathing. I also miss food because I was quite the foodie enthusiast. In my free time, I was often cooking and I frequented restaurants when I was able to. I miss lollipops, I used to love them, but now they’re repulsive. Not being able to see myself in a mirror is a bit of a bummer, but when I go shopping, Julia gives me her opinion of how things look on me, and I do the same for her.”

Alex raised a brow and nodded slowly. “Are you and Julia close?” she asked, chewing the inside of her cheek as they kept walking.

“Oh absolutely,” Sam answered with a smile which showed off her fangs, which made Alex believe she was thirsty. “She’s the sister I’ve always wanted to have.”

“That’s great,” Alex replied, releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

Sam’s eyes glinted. She tugged at Alex’s hand, bringing their bodies closer together. “Were you jealous?” she asked, running her free hand through Alex’s hair.

Alex huffed. “How bad does my helmet hair look?”

Sam shook her head. Her hand slid out of Alex’s hair and moved down to cup her jaw. “Your hair looks great. It’s impossible for you to look bad,” she whispered, letting out a gasp when Alex pushed her against the nearest tree.

Alex inhaled shakily as she pressed closer to Sam. She cupped the back of Sam’s neck and stared into her hazel eyes, spotting a twirl of red in them. Her lips touched the corner of Sam’s mouth just barely. She placed her free hand on Sam’s hip.

“Did you want me to be jealous?” Alex asked, pressing her body impossibly closer to Sam’s. “You tease me a lot. It’s driving me crazy. You’re driving me crazy. It makes me want to do something crazy.”

Sam buried her fingers in Alex’s hair. “Something like what?” she asked, looking down at Alex’s lips for a second.

Alex sighed silently. “Something like this,” she whispered, capturing Sam’s lips.

Sam’s lips were cold, but it melted away when she kissed Alex back.

Alex nipped at Sam’s lower lip, licking into her mouth when she felt her lips part. Nothing could compare to what it felt like kissing Sam. It felt right like it was meant to be. Every ounce of doubt about this not being mutual vanished as they found a rhythm together. She had never kissed anyone like this before. Sam sure knew what she was doing, mapping every crevice as if she was trying to memorize what her mouth felt like. She kissed her until her lungs begged her to take a break.

“There is something I need to tell you,” Sam whispered as she took both of Alex’s hands in hers. “I know why your heart feels like it’s burning sometimes. I know why you’re drawn to me as much as I’m drawn to you. Do you believe in soulmates?”

 


	16. Chapter 16

Kara’s glasses were resting on her bedside table. She sat cross-legged, a frown in place while she looked at Alex, waiting for her to talk about whatever it was that made her nudge her side when she was halfway through watching a movie.

Alex stood on her bed, smoothing her Hayley Kiyoko poster against the wall, pricking pins into the corners.

Kara fumbled with the hem of her shirt. It wasn’t like her sister to disturb her while she was watching a movie unless it was something important. “Did something happen with Sam?”

Alex’s cheeks reddened significantly. “We kissed,” she answered, eyes widening when Kara squealed. “Shhhh, are you crazy? I don’t want mom and dad to hear.”

“Oh Rao,” Kara whispered, smiling brightly. “Did she kiss you?”

“I kissed her, but she kissed back, so all good,” Alex answered, letting out a deep sigh and a soft smile. “She told me something important. Something I want to share with you, because, I don’t know, because you’re my sister.”

Kara placed her hands on her knees. Her eyes were filled with glee. She couldn’t help it, she was so happy for Alex. She knew how badly her sister wanted more than friendship with Sam. And vampire or not, Sam had been good to Alex, so she approved.

“Sam told me about soulmates,” Alex revealed in a whisper. “Allegedly, it’s a vampire thing. Every vampire has a soulmate. There’s an ancient rumor going around among vampires of some vampire who asked a witch for a soul. That vampire wanted a purpose and it was always said vampires don’t have a soul because they don’t have a heartbeat. They’re sort of dead, but they’re also alive.”

Kara tilted her head to the side. “Every vampire has a soulmate?” she asked, unsure what to think when Alex nodded. If all of them had one, then Lena had one also. “Are their soulmates, ah, vampires too?”

Alex’s lips split into a wide smile. “I’m Sam’s soulmate,” she whispered, biting back an even bigger smile. She grabbed Kara’s hands and squeezed. “Sam explained my heart feels like it’s burning sometimes because we’re soulmates. Like a sign, an invisible force sending a message. She said her heart ached sometimes when she was near me or that she felt a pang of sorts.”

Kara looked at her sister in bewilderment. Her heart burned every now and then when she was near Lena. The first time it happened was during her first day of school. Oh Rao, what if she was Lena’s soulmate? The possibility of being soulmates filled her stomach with butterflies, so many of them she thought they were going to break free.

If she thought about it, the matrix on Krypton might have matched her with Lena. She could see the potential of a relationship with her. Whenever she was near Lena, everything felt less heavy. She felt less alienated, less misunderstood. Hearing this news from her sister was incredible. It gave her a spark of hope that maybe; just maybe, she had a chance with Lena unless they weren’t soulmates.

“She knew since we met at the hospital,” Alex whispered, cheeks crimson. “She said it was love at first sight, but she was trying to be friends instead. When I kissed her, I felt nervous, but I also felt confident about taking that step. I was so relieved when she kissed me back. If she hadn’t… god, I can’t even imagine not having her in my life. I’m hopeless.”

“You’re not hopeless, Alex. You’re in love,” Kara replied, pulling her sister into a hug. “I’m so happy for you. Sam seems nice, but if she ever makes you cry I will fling her into space.”

Alex chuckled, hugging Kara back. “You’re a good twin, Kara.”

“Rao, yes, we’re twins now. You said it, I heard it. No take backsies.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena thought she could relax tonight. All she wanted was to wind down with a glass of blood mixed with red wine. Endless stamina or not, mentally vampires were capable of growing exhausted. She was distracted by Sam pacing back and forth as if she was trying to walk a hole in the floor.

Julia reached out to Sam with a frown. “What’s troubling you, sister?”

“Nothing is troubling me, it’s not quite like that,” Sam answered, biting down on her lip. She sat down on the couch next to Lena, sighing while Julia did the same. “It’s about the soulmate rumor.”

Lena twirled the liquid in her cup. “What of it?” she asked, watching the wine red mix with the blood red.

“It’s not a rumor,” Sam said, which Lena knew it was not. “I know who my soulmate is. It’s Alex Danvers.”

Lena’s hand stilled. Alex Danvers. Kara’s sister. Her soulmate’s sister was Sam’s soulmate, meaning if Sam got hurt by her soulmate, she could not go after said soulmate. She promised Kara no harm would fall upon the people she cared about at her hands.

“Alex is amazing,” Sam said with a twinkle in her eyes. “She’s human, but-”

“Human?” Julia asked. “Do all vampires have humans for a soulmate?”

“No,” Lena answered. “I believe Octavia and Lincoln are soulmates. They are both vampires.”

“You believe…,” Sam whispered, eyes widening minutely as she looked at Lena.

Lena averted her eyes. She took a generous sip from her drink, letting it fill her mouth. The hope and innocent wonder in Sam’s voice was something worth cherishing. Again, she was not going to stomp out the light Sam had inside of her. Despite her skepticism, facts were proving the ancient rumor was more than a rumor. It was not false hope. It was tangible, no matter how much she tried to deny it.

“I know who my soulmate is,” Lena revealed, earning two loud gasps. “You cannot tell anyone, not even Alex.”

“Of course not,” Sam replied immediately. “It’s not my place to say.”

“Agreed,” Julia chimed in.

Lena gazed at Sam. “My soulmate is Kara Danvers,” she shared, though Kara Zor-El was a more accurate way of putting it, she was in no position of sharing such information.

Sam’s jaw dropped. “No way,” she whispered.

“Siblings?” Julia guessed, blinking her eyes when Sam nodded. “Small world.”

Lena eyed Sam curiously. She assumed texts were not the only thing which had transpired between Sam and Alex. Sam was much happier than she used to be, for that she approved of Alex, though underneath the surface she was wary. While she emptied the rest of her drink, Sam and Julia talked about soulmates.

Relationships were unusual for vampires. They never lasted long. Lincoln and Octavia defied the odds. Lexa and Clarke were doing the same, though to be fair they were all vampires. She hoped for Sam’s sake what she had with Alex would defy the odds, too.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara smiled upon seeing Lena wrinkle her nose. Her lunch came with a bunch of freshly baked cookies, which Lena didn’t seem to appreciate the smell of. She pushed down her impulse to ask Lena if she preferred it if she ate her lunch in the cafeteria instead, not wanting to risk Lena telling her yes.

Lena placed a single thermos on her desk, raising a brow when Kara stared at her. “What’s on your mind?” she asked, twisting the cap.

“I, uh, I’m surprised you only have one thermos,” Kara answered, half expecting Lena to reach for a second and a third, but she didn’t.

“I’m consuming less blood than before. Lately, I was drinking more blood than I used to.”

“Sounds kind of like a diet, not that I’m saying you’re on a diet or that you need one. It’s your body, a good body, ah, I mean, you look beautiful. Your curves are, oh Rao, um, are you on a diet? Can vampires lose weight or gain weight?”

“Oh Rao,” Kara muttered under her breath. She couldn’t even hold it together for five minutes.

“No to all of your questions,” Lena said. She glanced down at Kara’s lunch, wrinkled her nose again, and averted her eyes. “A vampire’s physique does not change, regardless of how little or how much blood we consume. We are, however, capable of changing our hair. We can cut it or dye it.”

“I believe you were telling me something about my curves,” Lena said after a beat of silence, smiling while Kara groaned.

Kara wondered if Lena took pleasure in her embarrassment. Lena had a gorgeous body with the way her clothes hugged her curves in all of the right places. She loved how red her lips were, how she didn’t even need lipstick for them to look a little red. Her lips matched her pale skin perfectly. She knew to stare was considered rude, but it was hard to look away when Lena was just so gorgeous.

She observed the specks of red in Lena’s green eyes, wondering if they were soulmates. The information her sister gave her hadn’t let her go, she couldn’t let it go. She didn’t want to let it go. Her heart said yes. When she thought of Lena as the one for her, the one she could spend the rest of her life with, every inch of her skin prickled with warmth. Oh Rao, she wanted so badly to leap over the desk and kiss her.

Lena cut through the silence when she asked, “Do you think people who do evil were born that way or that they were forced to become evil?”

“Hmm,” Kara hummed, pleasantly surprised by the question. “Essentially people are born innocent. Some do get a lot of influences in their life that pushes them in a certain direction, but in the end, everyone has a choice. Everyone has good and bad in them. People are capable of good deeds as much as they’re capable of doing bad things. I don’t think people are born evil. Children have young, curious minds, minds which can be kneaded a certain way. Sometimes, unfortunately, there are people who are trying to steer someone else towards a dark path, but in the end, we each carry a choice within ourselves.”

“For example, some people are conditioned to see things in a certain light, whereas their personal thoughts and feelings may differ from what’s been drilled into them,” Kara continued. “Like, people who are gay. Some of them come from families where they’re conditioned to see it as a bad thing, but that’s not how they personally see it. There’s also the opposite side of the coin where people are raised in loving, open-minded families, and still walk a dark path, because they choose to.”

She was aware of Lena’s eyes on her and she was aware she was rambling, but Lena asked her a question which made her think. “One last thing,” she added, smiling. “I watched a movie with Alex once, a movie called Tomorrowland. There’s a quote which really resonates with what I’m trying to say. There are two wolves who are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. The question is; which wolf wins? The one you feed.”

“Interesting,” Lena whispered, moving her chair closer to Kara. “I was never fond of movies, always believing they were a waste of time and carried nothing of value. This movie you mentioned, Tomorrowland, sounds educational. You have an attractive mind.”

Kara ducked her head and blushed. She took a bite out of one of her cookies, hearing herself chew it, despite her best attempts to make as little noise as possible. Having Lena show an interest in what she had to say gave her hope they could build something beyond friendship someday. If Lena wanted to take things slow, she could definitely manage that. Spending time with Lena was much better than the sparse dates she had in the past.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Thirteen students did not show up at school. They were not ill. As Lena went down to her lab, she thought about the police car outside of school. Students and teachers were questioned, including her. The police wanted to know if anyone saw something or had any idea what might have happened. Thirteen students went missing overnight. The police were confused how and why such a thing happened in such a calm place as Midvale.

Rumors spread across the school, ranging from alien abduction to trafficking. Some claimed they ran away, though thirteen students at once with ages ranging from fourteen to eighteen years old made it quite unlikely for them to be runaways.

She could take a rather accurate guess as to what happened to those students. Rhea, the head of Sanguis Praedonum, must have passed through Midvale during the night. For all she knew, those students could have been moved halfway across the world by now. It was outrageous students were targeted. The heightened risk of exposure it brought along screamed Rhea wanted to draw the attention of Carpe Noctem.

Broken families were on the news, pleading for the safe return of their children. Parents desperately awaited requests for ransoms, requests which would never come. She thought of those broken families. It gave her a strange feeling, one where she felt bad for them. She came close to Rhea with Carpe Noctem once, and Rhea escaped. And now parents were praying to whichever god they believed in to bring their children home.

If she were to find Rhea, she would make her choke on liquid silver and burn her little by little in the sun. First her fingers, then her toes, eventually her arms and her legs. Abducting thirteen students was not going to float well with Carpe Noctem.

“Door open,” Lena commanded, snapping the stakes she caught.

The door opened. Liquid silver spilled onto the floor, revealing a figure standing near the silver waterfall. She waited until it stopped before entering.

“Why did you take my lollipops away?”

“You can have one after you tell me how you know my name,” Lena said, voice a little clipped. She reached out for the truth serum she made, but a warm hand stopped her.

“I will tell you everything I know if I can hold your hand.”

Lena narrowed her eyes as warm fingers entwined with her cold ones. “Why must you touch me?”

“Comfort,” the woman whispered.

Lena moved, tugging at the woman’s hand a little harder than necessary, but she could not help but feel unnerved. She stopped in front of the bed in the corner of the lab and sat down, working her jaw while the woman took the opportunity to curl up against her.

“A witch told me your name. She said you wouldn’t kill me. You saved me when I was dying.”

It was a pity the delusional demented witch was killed a decade ago, otherwise, Lena would have killed her herself. “Did she tell you of the prophecy?”

The body next to Lena’s swallowed. “Yes,” she answered, squeezing Lena’s hand. “But I am not a vampire killer. I am not a killer. They hunted me, they tried to kill Sam. I wanted to help her, but I couldn’t. They didn’t listen when I told them to kill me and to let Sam live. They took my powers. They still want me dead, don’t they? That’s why I’m still here.”

Lena was not sure why, but the day they met, when she chased after her, she saw something raw and vulnerable. She even slaughtered two of her own kind to stop them from finishing what they had started. After she took her to safety, she found Sam.

“You care about me. You love me.”

Lena raised a brow. Love was pushing it. “Don’t go soft on me, Reign,” she whispered, staring at their linked hands. “I need a sample of your blood again, to find out why you haven’t aged a day while you’re human.”

“You should let me go.”

“No, I can’t protect you outside. Two clans want you dead, along with many others if they realize you are alive.”

Reign shifted and stared right into Lena’s eyes. “What does it matter to you what happens to me?”

She did not save Reign years ago only for her to die tomorrow or another day in vain. Reign was innocent and vampires hunted her based on the words of a crazy witch-bitch. There was no evidence, no sign of Reign being evil or aiming to end her kind. It struck her hard when she learned of Reign a decade ago, how it was decided she had to die because they were unwilling to take a risk.

They harmed Sam and Reign without a proper reason. Sam was easier to claim; in particular when Carpe Noctem sided with her Sam was of no threat to them. When she claimed Sam, they did not have the slightest clue she had Reign also. They never found out. She always kept it a secret she found her and took her in, while she kept tabs on them through others, such as Veronica.  

She abruptly stood up, yanked her hand out of Reign’s and bared her fangs. It mattered because they were wrong about Reign. Reign was not a killer. She would die before she would let anyone hurt her. Keeping Reign locked up was what kept her alive. She gave her a bed, a shower, food, books, deliberately refrained from chaining her up or caging her, and she came down to her lab to see her as much as she could.

“It matters because you belong to me,” Lena answered finally, the words bitter on her tongue. Reign was not her property. “I won’t let anyone take what’s mine.”

Her nostrils flared when Reign kissed her neck. “Stop that,” she hissed. “I cannot give you what you crave.”

“Yes, you can,” Reign replied, narrowing her eyes as she took a step back. “I want my lollipops back.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's like taking candy from a kid. :)


	17. Chapter 17

It was Friday night. The sun was long gone, stars decorated the sky, and it was reasonably silent outside. Here and there, Sam picked up on distant conversations and televisions playing in people’s houses. The streets were mostly vacant, aside from a car passing by every five minutes, give or take, and someone walking their dog.

“You sneak out way too much for me,” Sam whispered, fingers entwined with Alex’s while she walked her home. She didn’t want Alex to get in trouble with her parents, which was bound to happen if she ever got caught.

Alex’s grip on Sam’s hand tightened. “Are you complaining about me spending time with my girlfriend?”

Sam was enamored by the lilt in Alex’s voice and the way her cheeks always colored red. She loved how Alex referred to her as her girlfriend in a hushed whisper as if it was a secret. Then again, perhaps it was. She told Julia and Lena about Alex, and she knew Alex told her sister. Other than that, she assumed it was their secret.

One tug and Alex was in her arms. “I would never complain about spending time with you,” she whispered, lips ghosting close to Alex’s. “I love you, Alex,” she whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips, hearing how Alex’s heart sped up.

Alex kissed Sam back, smiling into their kiss. “I love you too, Sam,” she breathed out against her lips.

Sam indulged in one more kiss. She chuckled when Alex huffed the moment she continued their walk. It was nearing one at night. While she didn’t need any sleep whatsoever, her soulmate did. It was bad enough she had such a bad influence on Alex to the point where Alex kept sneaking out to see her. The whole motorcycle without a license thing wasn’t right either, but Alex was a good driver and it made her so happy.

She stopped walking when faint footsteps approached. Her fangs appeared when she noted the footsteps weren’t accompanied by any heartbeats. Alex cupped her cheek and looked at her worriedly. Wordlessly, she dove into an alley with a dead end. It was better than being in the middle of the road where any vampire could approach from any side. She pushed Alex against the wall, signaling with her hands for her to stay there.

Six vampires spilled into the alley.

Sam felt Alex clamping a hand around her wrist. She felt Alex tug as if she wanted to step out in front of her to protect her. “This is my food,” she spoke up, hating referring to her soulmate as such.

“We are not leaving without the girl,” one of the vampires replied.

“This is not a negotiation,” another one of them said. “We will take the girl and you, Sam Arias, will die.”

“Over my dead body,” Alex hissed.

Sam had to shoot out her arm to stop Alex from running towards the vampires. She caught a glint of a silver pocket knife Alex was clutching in her right hand.

The vampires ran towards them at once. This had to be Sanguis Praedonum.

Sam wasn’t going to let them take Alex, not without a fight, not unless she died protecting her soulmate. She was still considered a newborn, but Lena always told her she was strong for a newborn, and the fact they wanted Alex was making her stronger.

One of the vampires wrapped her hand around Alex’s throat. The hand was withdrawn when Alex pressed her silver knife against it.

Sam ripped out the heart from one of the vampires. She kicked another vampire down. Two vampires attacked her. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Alex stabbing another vampire in the chest. Two down, four to go.

Alex jumped one of the vampires.

The vampire was about to bite Alex’s arm when someone barreled into him.

“Wait,” Sam said when she noticed Alex was getting ready to attack again. “That’s Julia,” she said, nodding her head towards the help which just arrived.

Julia yanked one of the vampires back. She let out a grunt when she was thrown through the wall.

Alex stuck out a hand to help Julia up. One of the vampires took advantage of that, winding their arms around Alex’s waist.

Sam’s nostrils flared. She let out a battle cry as she attacked the remaining enemies. Blood coated her clothes.

Another six vampires arrived.

“Take me and let them live,” Alex offered as she stepped forward.

Sam grasped the back of Alex’s shirt, pulling her into her. “Never,” she whispered, willing to die the most painful death before she would ever let a single hair on Alex’s head be harmed.

A second fight broke loose. The bloodbath increased when Sam saw Lena arrive.

Lena grabbed the nearest vampire. Blood splattered all over the ground. She speared two others with her bare hands. Their bodies didn’t drop to the ground yet when she struck down another. “Touch my family and you touch me,” she all but growled.

Sam fought side by side with Julia. She tried to shield Alex as best as she could, but her soulmate kept throwing herself into the fight. It was stupid of Alex to do. It was brave. It was dangerous. She was terrified how her soulmate fought as if she wasn’t a vulnerable mortal.

The last of the vampires who attacked dropped dead.

Sam looped an arm around Alex. She drowned in the sound of Alex’s erratic heartbeat. “Thank you,” she whispered to Julia and Lena.

“What you did was dangerous,” Lena snapped at Julia, who promptly looked down at her feet. “You’re a newborn, you could have died, but you also showed courage and loyalty, so well done.”

Julia lifted her head, slowly meeting Lena’s gaze with a faint smile on her face.

“And you,” Lena snapped at Alex, taking a step closer, raising a brow when Sam’s hand against her chest stopped her from approaching further. “You’re only human, Alex. Your sister would be very upset if she lost you. Not to mention how upset Sam would be.”

“I wasn’t going to stand there and do nothing,” Alex replied, voice steady and calm. “They wanted to kill Sam. I couldn’t let that happen.”

Sam tucked Alex’s head under her chin. “Are you done?” she asked Lena, concerned while Lena punched her fist through the wall.

“You were willing to die for Sam, weren’t you?” Lena asked Alex. “Peculiar,” she whispered, slowly dragging her eyes away. “Julia and I will accompany you on your walk,” she informed Sam.

Sam rolled her eyes at the overprotectiveness. After fighting twelve vampires, she wasn’t expecting any more of them to show up, not tonight at least. What was supposed to be a romantic night took a violent turn. She hated how Alex’s clothes were ruined by the blood of those vampires. She didn’t want to needlessly alarm Alex’s sister.

Lena gave Sam an incredulous look when Alex climbed up the pipe to get back into her room.

Sam scratched the back of her neck, avoiding Lena’s gaze as much as she could. She had no doubt she was going to hear about this.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara was never one to sneak out, yet here she was, on Imra’s doorstep, in the middle of the night. She glanced to her left and her right, taking in her surroundings. A branch in the garden was tapping against a window. Someone’s dog was barking several streets away. When she heard some explicit sounds – Oh Rao, why couldn’t her super hearing automatically filter those out – she decided that was enough of that.

The front door opened inch by inch until Imra came into view. She was dressed in all black; sweatpants, shirt, shoes, and a black beanie.

“I received your text,” Kara whispered, blinking her eyes when Imra clicked on a flashlight, which shone into her eyes.

Imra grimaced, hurriedly moving her flashlight, shining it in the other direction. “Follow me.”

Kara nodded. She listened to their surroundings again, minus the more explicit sounds, just in case she picked up on footsteps. What happened to Alex and Sam was scary. When her sister came home Friday night, covered in blood, her shock was so big she knocked over her closet, which woke up Eliza and Jeremiah. It was a very awkward situation.

They didn’t see the blood, because Alex hid under her covers while she pretended she had some sort of nightmare, after which she started floating, and knocked down her closet. Once Eliza and Jeremiah had gone back to bed, she had checked her sister for wounds. They spent the remainder of the night talking about what happened. She was relieved Lena, and a woman named Julia showed up to help out Alex and Sam.

Imra wandered into the woods. She started climbing a tree, sighing when Kara flew past her. By the time she reached the tree house, Kara was sitting in it, smiling at her. “You couldn’t have saved me the climb?”

“Oh Rao, did you want me to?” Kara asked, making a face. “For what it’s worth, you’re a good climber and you looked like you had it handled.”

“Doofus,” Imra whispered, smiling.

Kara peered around the tree house. There was a thin mattress on the right, a small table with two chairs on the left, and a three-sit couch in the middle.

“I built this place with my father,” Imra whispered, lips curled down. She sat down on the couch, folding her hands onto her lap. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. “Some nights, I’d come here, to clear my head.”

Kara sat down next to Imra, and took one of her hands, squeezing softly.

A tear rolled down Imra’s cheek. “Ayla told me everything,” she whispered shakily. “Not at first, but I knew something was off. I know my sister. We were never good at keeping things from one another. With all the students who have disappeared, she told me everything she knows.”

“Lena told me,” Kara revealed.

“Then you know of those vampires who abduct people, using them as blood slaves,” Imra whispered, squeezing Kara’s hand tightly. “The things they do…,” she trailed off, shaking her head as another tear fell, and another.

Kara freed her hand, draped her arm around Imra’s shoulders, and pulled her closer. “I know, it’s terrible,” she whispered, hand coming up to stroke Imra’s hair. “Ayla is safe now.”

“Those bad vampires are still out there.”

“Sanguis Praedonum,” Kara whispered. “That’s what they call themselves. Blood-”

“Pirates,” Imra filled in, nodding.

“Right, yes, sometimes it slips my mind you’re good at languages, too.”

“I want to find the culprit,” Imra said, wiping her tears. Her voice came out stronger, firmer as if she was ready to fight. “That clan needs to be stopped. They abducted children, actual children. How many more will disappear before they’re stopped? Ayla told me Lena saved her, while the other blood slaves were left to die because they can’t risk exposure. I’m not going to sit around, waiting for vampires to find that clan, only for them to sweep it all under the rug. Those children need to be found, they need to go home. Their families are worried sick.”

Kara doubted Lena was capable of letting the missing students be killed off once they were found. She wondered how long vampires could hide their existence. They couldn’t keep going around killing those whom might expose them. She really hoped the students who were abducted were unharmed, though she also knew the odds of that were slim.

“I agree,” Kara whispered. “We can stop this, together. I might have an idea.”

“Together,” Imra replied, smiling softly, just for a second.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena was distracted for three-quarters of the period, due to Kara tapping her pen against her desk repeatedly. She noticed Kara's eyes kept flitting around the classroom. The seniors were down two students who went missing. Kara seemingly kept counting heads, as if she was trying to ensure no other students would disappear into thin air. It was quite unfortunate all of this was happening.

So far, Carpe Noctem had no luck finding Sanguis Praedonum. In hindsight, when Sam was attacked, she should have kept one of the blood pirates alive long enough to gain information rather than tear through them. It was too late for that now, though if she encountered one again, she fully intended gathering information, if not through torture, then through using her truth serum.

“Your upcoming test has been cancelled until further notice,” Lena announced.

She sensed her students were not fully present. The entire school was buzzing about the abductions. Police were posted outside of school for extra protection. Students were afraid they could be next. Due to the lack of a request for ransom, the rumor of the abductions being linked to trafficking was swelling on.

The majority of the class jumped when the bell rung.

Kara chewed on a pen. She was one of the few who had not jumped up at the abrupt sound of the bell. There was a determined look in her eyes as she narrowed them while she gazed out of the window.

Lena waited for the students to spill out to indulge in their lunch break. Not surprisingly, Kara stayed behind. She closed the door, and the blinds, while Kara remained seated at her desk. Even when she put her thermos down on her desk, Kara did not join her.

“Kara?” Lena whispered, stepping away from her desk in favor of walking up to Kara.

Kara’s jaw clenched. She slowly lifted her head, inch by inch, until she was looking Lena in the eyes. “I’m going after Sanguis Praedonum. You might not approve or agree with my plan, but I’m going after them. They need to be stopped. Imra and I have a plan.”

Kara was not wrong, Lena did not approve. “Plan?” she inquired, taking a seat next to Kara.

Kara nodded. She sucked her lips into her mouth, not taking out or touching her lunch until Lena half begged her to eat something. While she explained her plan, step by step, Lena’s eyes widened.

The chair screeched over the floor when Lena pushed it back. “You can’t do this, Kara,” she said, sauntering over to her desk, reaching for her thermos. “It’s dangerous.”

“My mind is made up. You can’t talk me out of it. They went after my sister,” Kara replied as she stood up. “Families are weeping for their children. They took children, Lena. I’m not going to let them die.”

“I won’t let them die either. If- when I find them, I will bring them home to their families,” Lena said, not wanting them to be disposed of as the other blood slaves were disposed of.

Kara took a step forward, and another, and another. “Promise?” she asked, standing right in front of Lena.

Lena ran a hand through Kara’s hair. “I promise I’ll do everything I can to prevent those students being killed,” she answered, holding Kara’s gaze. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Kara.”

Kara smiled. “I believe you,” she whispered, tipping her head forward, touching Lena’s forehead with hers. “You’re a good person. Your heart is beautiful. I lo-like that about you.”

Lena had to close her eyes. She took a step back, eyes opening as she averted them. It hurt being near Kara. She had a rather persistent urge to kiss her, which she could not afford doing. If Sanguis Praedonum so much as lifted a finger at her soulmate, they were going to find out what she was capable of.

“You’re worried,” Kara said with a sigh. “I get that,” she whispered, grasping Lena’s hands. “I know you care about me. I care about you, too.”

Lena froze when Kara pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek.

“You don’t harm me or those I care about,” Kara whispered, staring into Lena’s eyes. “You brought back my necklace, you helped out when I told you about Ayla, you gave me a piece of Krypton back when you gave me that projector, you helped protect Alex when those vampires attacked, you…”

Lena saw in Kara’s eyes she figured it out while she watched her rub her chest. Her heart was hurting, too. She thought Kara was about to say it aloud, but instead, Kara smiled ruefully, and she was wrapped in a hug she returned. It was a relief Kara did not say the words. If Kara were to mention they were soulmates, she could not lie to her.

 


	18. Chapter 18

Alex bit her lip so hard it bled. She made a decision. This was it. She wasn’t going to tell them she was seeing someone because she wasn’t ready for that yet, but today she was going to come out to her parents. She had been meaning to come out for some time. A part of her felt as if they knew. Either way, she wanted to do this right. She wasn’t sure what the right way was exactly if there even was such a thing as the right way.

All she knew was that she wanted to come out. She didn’t want to be in the closet any longer. Kara was very supportive, and so were Imra and Lucy. Tonight, her sister was sleeping over at Imra’s place. While having Kara around might have been helpful, she chose this day to come out. It was something she wanted to talk about privately with her parents.

The television played in the living room.

Her father had the remote in one hand, and a beer in the other. He zapped while her mother spoke of watching a documentary about climate change. A bowl of popcorn sat untouched on the coffee table.

“Hey,” Alex said, shuffling towards the television. “There’s something I want to talk about, it’s important.”

Her father shut off the television, leaned back on the couch and said, “What do you want to talk about, sweetheart?”

Alex’s eyes shifted in between her mother and father. She breathed in, looked up, went over the words in her head, and slowly exhaled as she gazed at them. Their expressions were open. They waited, ready to listen to what she had to say. She tasted a hint of copper from having bit her lip.

“Mom,” Alex said, sighing. “Dad,” she continued, taking in another deep breath. “I know you both love me and I hope what I’m about to say won’t change that. You’re my parents, and as I said, this is important.”

“You can tell us, honey,” her mother replied with a tender smile. “Whatever it is, your father and I won’t love you any less.”

Alex ran a hand through her hair and barely met their eyes. The number of emotions spitting out three words evoked was overwhelming. “I spent days, weeks, thinking how to say what I want to say until I realized it’s better if I just say it like it is,” she said, running her hand through her hair, again.

“Mom, dad, I am gay. I’m a lesbian. I like girls,” Alex said with a tremor in her voice. “I think deep down, I always knew, but I denied it for so long until I just…This is me, this is who I am. I’m afraid I’m letting you down, but this is my reality, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. It took me a long time to accept that this is real and I really, really hope you can do the same because I don’t know what I’d do if you’re not okay with this.”

“Oh, honey,” her mother said as she got up from the couch. “You’re not letting us down for being gay. You’re not letting us down at all. I love you, just the way you are.”

Her father got up as well.

Tears sprung to her eyes while her parents hugged her.

“My sweet, Alex,” her father said softly. “When I married your mother, I thought nothing in the world could make me happier. Then you were born, and I had never seen anything more perfect in my entire life. I love you, and I support you, always.”

“You have no idea how much this means to me,” Alex whispered. “I’m happy you’re my parents.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara wasn’t sure why she was clad in all black exactly. Generally, she dressed quite colorful. The ironic part was how tonight, she wanted to be seen, wanted to have a run in with Sanguis Praedonum, not that clothes made any difference for them. Her heartbeat alone was enough.

She told Eliza and Jeremiah she was with Imra, which was half a truth. Imra was right here, outside, with her. Meanwhile, her adoptive parents were under the impression she was having a sleepover with Imra. It wasn’t like she could tell them _‘oh, by the way, vampires exist and I’m going after the bad ones tonight’_. No, she definitely couldn’t tell them any of that.

Imra was clad fully in black also. She shone her flashlight around as they wandered into the woods together. “Can you hold this for a moment?” she asked, pushing her flashlight into Kara’s hands. “And give me some light.”

Kara gasped when Imra pulled a blade out of her pocket. “What are you…Oh Rao,” she whispered, jaw-dropping, eyes wide as Imra ran the blade across her finger.

“Clumsy me,” Imra said, giving Kara a _‘why are you whispering?’_ look.

Kara sighed. If Imra wanted to use her blood to draw Sanguis Praedonum towards them, she should have said something. It was a good idea; though at the same time any vampire within a close enough radius to smell Imra’s blood might pick up on it and approach them.

“I hear something,” Kara whispered, sighing when Imra threw her hands. Whispering was a force of habit, besides; vampires could hear her just fine either way.

Footsteps were coming closer. Oddly, they were accompanied by a heartbeat. Vampires couldn’t have a heartbeat. That was simply impossible. Before she could speak up, a light shone in their direction. Vampires didn’t walk around with flashlights, not that she knew of.

Imra took her flashlight from Kara’s hands and shone it towards the intruder.

“Luce?” Kara and Imra said in sync.

“Don’t shine that thing into my eyes,” Lucy muttered, covering her eyes with her free hand. “I knew you two were up to something when I saw you sneaking around. You two have been whispering a lot at school. I want to know what’s going on. Why the hell are you in the woods in the middle of the night?”

“Fuck, Im, you’re bleeding?” Lucy asked, grasping Imra’s hand. The cut on Imra’s finger wasn’t deep, just a minor slash with a droplet of blood leaking from it.

“Everything is fine,” Imra said, taking her hand back. “You should go home. Kara and I were going for a walk to gaze at the stars.”

“Bullshit,” Lucy mumbled. “Listen,” she said, sighing audibly. “No more secrets and no more lies, okay? Do you think I don’t know weird stuff’s been happening? Imra, you’re ridiculously strong. Sometimes when you talk, you sound like you’re not from here. It was even worse last year. Then there’s your accent, which is also a giveaway. Kara, I’ve seen you floating during the sleepover, so I’m going to take a wild guess and say you can fly. Plus, your appetite is insane for someone who looks like she hits the gym often. You’re both aliens, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Imra answered at the same time Kara said, “no.”

“Oh Rao, okay, yes,” Kara conceded when Lucy fixed her with a pointed look. “We can explain, but now is not a good time. You should go before-” She snapped her mouth shut when silent footsteps came closer.

Lucy disappeared right in front of Kara and Imra’s eyes, grabbed by someone who moved fast and was seemingly invisible.

Kara wanted to go after Lucy, but it was too late. Eight vampires surrounded them.

The vampires overpowered Kara and Imra with ease, laughing maniacally.

Kara knew right then and there their plan worked. She had a feeling she knew who took Lucy. Any other vampire would have gone for Imra because she was the only one who was bleeding.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena was repulsed when her hand was licked. She did not save this human from being captured only to have said human lick her hand. She passed Lucy on to Sam and shared a nod with her.

Sam covered Lucy’s mouth, lifted her up and sped off while Lena remained where she was.

Lena ignored Lexa’s piercing gaze at revealing their nature to a human. Lucy was Kara’s friend, and she made Kara a promise. When Kara told her of her plan, she informed Carpe Noctem, so they could aid her in ending this for once and for all. She was not pleased Kara and Imra chose to be bait.

Surely, it worked. Sanguis Praedonum was taking Kara and Imra away. All they had to do was follow them, which Kara was unaware of. She pulled Lucy away at the last second because she knew Lucy was not a part of Kara’s plan and Lucy was only human.

Raven cast a spell, long before they followed Kara and Imra into the woods, to block the sound of her heartbeat, along with Psi's, and Brainy's. Raven also voiced a spell which cloaked them, which made them invisible to others.

Sam did not rejoin them as they followed the members of Sanguis Praedonum. Lena assumed she was taking care of Lucy, which was precisely what she hoped Sam would do. Carpe Noctem was not aware of the full truth. They did not know of her connection to Kara. She told them she overheard two students conjuring a plan to get captured by Sanguis Praedonum, so they could locate, and save the missing students.

When they arrived, they were no longer in Midvale. They approached a castle, surrounded by trees, like an army defending its citadel. There was also an actual army, about four dozen vampires. Rhea must have either expanded her clan or they were around even before they invaded her first location.

Lena perked up when she heard Kara scream from inside of the castle. The cloaking spell was wearing off. She did not wait for Carpe Noctem, she ran towards the castle with a spear in each hand, spears she arranged along the way. With all of the strength she could muster, she stabbed two blood pirates in the chest. She yanked out the spears.

One vampire came running. She threw one of the spears right through him. Another vampire charged at her. She swept the vampire off their feet with the other spear. Carpe Noctem joined her as more blood pirates came running.

Along with Carpe Noctem, Kara, and Imra, it was nine against four dozen. She was quite pleased with those odds. Sanguis Praedonum was no match for them. Rhea was presumably stronger than the lot of them, though there was no way Rhea could defeat them.

She ran ahead into the castle. One of the blood pirates threw a silver blade. She ducked and slid forward on her knees. Behind her, Lexa caught the silver blade with her gloved hand. Gloves, she ought to give those a try sometime.

“Dodge right,” Lexa called out to Lena.

Lena got up, moved to the right, and felt a brush of wind as the blade passed by her from the left. The blade struck one of the blood pirates in the throat. “You missed,” she called back over her shoulder.

Lexa laughed darkly. “I never miss, old friend. Who said anything about a quick death?”

Lena smiled at Lexa’s way of thinking. Her smile vanished faster than it formed when Kara let out an agonizing scream.

“Imra, no!” Kara shouted.

Green glowed. It was a green rock; kryptonite. Rhea stood near Kara with the rock in her hand. “You cannot outsmart us, Kryptonian,” she said icily to Kara. “I know your kind. I know how to make you bleed. Reign is dead. Soon you will be dead, and then Superman will be dead, too. Vampires shall rule the world.”

Imra snapped a blood pirate’s neck. “Your people did terrible things to my sister!” she growled at Rhea. “You will pay for what you did.”

Rhea’s nostrils flared when Imra stole the rock from her hand.

“Catch,” Imra said to Lena as she tossed the rock her way.

Lena caught the kryptonite. “Raven!” she called out to the witch, who was outside, voicing spells. “Destroy!” she ordered as she threw the rock at her.

Raven groaned when the rock smacked her in the head. “Honestly, does it ever cross any of your minds I’m only human?” she muttered, fingers coming up with blood as she touched her forehead.

“Lincoln,” Octavia said while she ripped out the heart from a blood pirate. “Shield Raven.”

Lexa reached Raven before Lincoln could. She took down the vampires speeding their way, driven by the scent of Raven’s blood.

Raven voiced a spell, which made the kryptonite disappear into thin air as if it never existed.

Kara grabbed a hold of Rhea before she could speed off. She twisted Rhea’s arm behind her back. One vampire grabbed her arm, but the pull did not disturb her balance. Another vampire bit her arm, only to wind up breaking his fangs.

“Idiots,” Rhea hissed as she struggled in Kara’s grip.

“The students are in the dungeons,” Kara said while Carpe Noctem made their way into the castle.

Imra used her powers to move stakes without touching them.

“Nifty little trick you have there, Matilda,” Psi said eyeing Imra before averting her attention to cripple three vampires with fear.

“My name is Imra. What’s yours?”

Psi turned around, tilted her head to the side, smiled briefly and said, “If we meet again in a few years, I’ll let you know.”

“Her name is Psi, but she also goes by Gayle or Gay,” Raven told Imra. “You’re welcome,” she added with a wink.

“Do we really need a witch in Carpe Noctem?” Psi commented while she shot Raven a glare. “We should eliminate her.”

Raven huffed out a laugh. “You can’t eliminate awesomeness.”

Lena sauntered up to Rhea. When Lexa threw her silver blade at another vampire, she caught it mid-air. The silver burned into her skin, but she ignored the pain.

“Aaargh!” Rhea screamed when Lena punctured her shoulder with the blade.

Kara’s lips parted in a silent gasp. “Your hand,” she whispered to Lena.

Lena glanced at her hand. An angry red mark marred her pale skin. It was the silver, though it was bound to heal in due time.

Together, Kara and Lena took down Rhea and a handful of blood pirates.

Kara pulverized a stake one of the blood pirates tried to stab into Lena’s back.

Everything slowed for Lena when a glimpse of silver came her way. It swirled towards her chest at a speed a human was not capable of registering. Shards of her memories, both of her human years as well as her vampire years, played through her head as if it were a film. She thought of Reign, all alone in her lab, with nobody other than her knowing she was down there. Without her, Reign was bound to starve. She made a lot of mistakes, but she if she died today, she was relieved it happened while she was trying to do something good.

The blade never struck. Kara blocked its path.

“Oh,” Kara whispered, looking down at her shoulder with a frown. “It scratched me.”

Lena caught a whiff of Kara’s blood. She should not have let herself inhale when she could choose not to. The scent of Kara’s blood, even from a mere scratch, flooded her senses. She wanted a taste, which she could not allow herself to have.

Lexa glanced at Lena, then at Kara, and her lips curled up an inch before they morphed into a thin line, disappearing within her stoic mask.

The last of the blood pirates were dealt with until none of them were left standing.

Lena stayed rooted in place with Imra and Kara as Carpe Noctem begun descending a spiral staircase which led to the dungeons. “You cannot murder those students,” she quietly called out after them.

Lexa froze and turned on the heel of her foot. “I have no intention of doing such a thing,” she replied coolly. “We are here as private investigators.”

“We were looking for the missing students,” Lincoln added.

“And we found them,” Octavia filled in. “Clarke has quite the influence on Lexa. She told Lexa those students better not be killed or else – ah, nothing,” she whispered, averting her eyes when Lexa looked at her as if she was going to stake her.

Raven nudged Brainy’s side. “You should switch to your human form,” she told him in a whisper.

“This is a rescue mission,” Lena whispered when it clicked in her head. She approved of the story Carpe Noctem spun, so long as those students returned to their families. When it came down to being influenced by someone, she knew precisely what that was like. Kara made her want to walk a less dark path.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“What you did tonight was dangerous.”

Kara sucked her lips into her mouth. She didn’t expect there to be any kryptonite. “The students are okay, we’re okay, isn’t that what matters?” she asked, glancing sideways, eyeing Lena as they walked side by side.

It meant a lot to her Lena offered to walk her back to Imra’s place, although having Imra nearby made her weigh her words more. Imra, ever the good friend, walked ten paces ahead of them, enough for them to have a hushed conversation.

“It was dangerous for you, too,” Kara pointed out. She clenched her hands into fists, releasing a shaky breath when Lena’s fingers curled around her left fist.

“I’m tough to kill, darling,” Lena whispered, smiling.

“But not impossible to,” Kara uttered, chest aching at the thought of losing Lena. “This is us,” she announced with a sigh when they reached Imra’s house.

Hesitating for two seconds, Kara went in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Good night, Lena.”

Lena pulled Kara closer as Kara was about to break the contact. She wrapped her arms tightly around Kara, holding her for the longest time. Her cold lips pressed a kiss to Kara’s temple. Her hands moved down her arms as she let go and stepped back, down to her hands, holding the tips of her fingers.

Kara didn’t want to part ways either. When Lena’s fingertips slipped away from hers, she took a step forward, and another, sweeping her into a hug, whispering, “not yet.”

 


	19. Chapter 19

Kara rested her chin in the palm of her hand. Instead of writing down notes, she was doodling hearts. Lena spoke with that angelic voice of hers. A mere week ago, she almost kissed her. She blamed it on the emotions which took place during the whole rescue mission. When Lena pulled her closer that night, she could tell they both genuinely wanted to hold on.

Blue eyes met green when they made eye-contact. Kara couldn’t look away. Lena was her soulmate. Rao, it was marvelous something so beautiful existed and that she got to be a part of it. That night when they held on to each other for what felt like ages played through her mind on a loop. She spent what was left of that night gushing to Imra about Lena.

“Students,” Lena said as she put her book aside on her desk. “While your finals don’t take place for another three months, I want you all to know I expect each of you to write a paper. Said paper counts for half of your grade,” she explained, holding up a hand when a series of groans and sighs sounded through the classroom.

Half of her grade, for a history paper. Kara was so screwed. She improved, sure, but history remained a tough class for her, and a paper was hard. It was somewhat ironic how many languages she was capable of speaking while writing them was another story entirely.

“Think about which historical event you want to write about,” Lena continued. “I expect a minimum of five-thousand words, including an explanation as to why you chose one particular event rather than another.”

Kara chewed her lip. She remembered a day where Lena taught everyone about Romeo and Juliet. She was somewhat familiar with them from last year, during her junior year. The love they shared was rather beautiful if not inspirational, aside from the whole tragic end. It was better than Titanic, where Rose let Jack drown because she didn’t share that door with him. With a smile, she wrote down Romeo and Juliet. The reason why was standing right in front of her, though she was aware she couldn’t use that as the reason why, not for her paper.

“Sap much?” Alex whispered, glancing over Kara’s shoulder.

Kara simply smiled. Perhaps she was a sap, but she had more motivation writing a paper about Romeo and Juliet than writing one about the black plague, for example.

When the bell rang, students made their way out of the classroom to flock towards the cafeteria.

“I have a few questions about the history paper,” Kara said, not that any of her peers seemed to pay her any mind for staying in class.

Lena gave a curt nod. Once everyone was gone, she closed the door and the blinds. “You’re making a habit out of this,” she whispered as she sat down at her desk.

Kara pulled a chair close, smiling innocently. “I like your company,” she said, unpacking her lunch.

“What?” Lena asked when Kara chuckled.

“You always wrinkle your nose at my lunch, it’s adorable,” Kara answered, not planning on taking those words back, despite Lena putting her thermos down harder than necessary.

Kara knew the smell of food wasn’t pleasant for Lena, so she tried to consume her lunch as quickly as possible. Stuffing a whole sandwich into her mouth at once earned her a raised brow and a smile from Lena.

“You’re going to choke if you keep that up,” Lena said, twisting the cap from her thermos. Even as she sipped from her thermos, her eyes didn’t leave Kara. “While I’m familiar with the Heimlich maneuver, I would rather not demonstrate it.”

“Then again,” Lena added after a beat of silence. “I suppose I do owe you one. You saved my life.”

Kara didn’t quite see it that way. Yes, she blocked the path of a knife which was about to strike Lena in the chest, but the way she saw it, they saved each other. Imra, Lena, and Raven got rid of the kryptonite. Lena played a part in that, just as she played a role in preventing that knife from reaching Lena.

“I don’t believe in I owe you’s,” Kara said. She took a bite from her second sandwich, surprised when Lena revealed another thermos after she emptied the first. “You must be thirsty,” she commented, and oh Rao, she hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

Lena traced her tongue across her upper lip, and Kara did choke on a bite, then.

Kara pounded her fist against her chest, coughing. “Wrong pipe,” she whispered with watery eyes. “All good,” she said, gaze lingering on Lena’s parted lips.

Lena leaned over her desk. “Are you alri-”

Kara’s chair tipped over. This was it, the end of her life. She was going to die of embarrassment. Lena moved faster than she could blink and was now balancing her tipped chair and her along with it. Her breath touched Lena’s face, that was how close their faces were.

Lena’s eyes dipped down to Kara’s lips. It was only a second, a quick stolen moment. She flicked her eyes back up and righted Kara’s chair. In a wink, she was seated behind her desk again, sipping from her thermos as if nothing happened.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena narrowed her eyes. The small sucking sounds from Reign consuming a popsicle pulled her attention away from her potions and serums. It should have been plain annoying, but she found it mildly endearing how Reign was capable of enjoying something as simplistic as a popsicle. Appreciating the little things in life did make life more bearable.

“I have a theory as to why you haven’t aged a single day in a decade,” Lena spoke up. “It’s not accurate science in any shape or form, but I ran your blood through several tests. Your DNA sample revealed your DNA is not entirely human. It’s Kryptonian. You may smell human and have no powers, but you are a Kryptonian.”

The popsicle melted, dripping down Reign’s slender fingers. She ran her tongue across the underside of her popsicle, catching her fingertips in the process.

Lena shook her head. Later on, once Reign finished her sweet treat, she intended on encouraging her rinsing her sticky fingers before touching anything. “You and Sam were separated. However, I believe you are still linked somehow. I’m not sure how, but considering Sam is a vampire and therefore doesn’t age, my theory is you cannot age either, in the event you are indeed linked. Be it mentally or otherwise,” she explained while Reign stared at her.

While Reign washed her hands, Lena gathered ingredients to create a potion which could paralyze someone. Creating a variety of mixtures was a hobby, a time where she let out the scientist inside of her. Not every drink she created was for active use. She wanted it to add it to her ever-growing collection.

Reign hopped onto the table, which generally only happened when Lena asked her to, which she had not. “Your theory indicates I’m immortal,” she said while Lena crumbled bitter catnip. “Can I help with your potion?”

Referring to Reign as an immortal was not Lena’s aim. It was unclear what Reign was precisely, other than Kryptonian. While Kryptonians did age significantly slower, Reign had not aged at all, for a decade. It was as if she froze in time, preserved.

“You can hand me the water barberry,” Lena said as she released the handful of crumbled catnip into a cup. “It’s the red colored water in the cup right next to you.”

Reign hummed a song while she handed Lena the cup.

Lena emptied the red liquid and the catnip in a beaker. She stirred the mixture with a spoon under Reign’s curious gaze. “Would you like a device for music?” she asked without taking her eyes off her task at hand.

“Yes,” Reign answered, swinging her legs back and forth under the table.

Lena fished into her pocket for a phone she bought, per Sam and Julia’s insistence. It was foreign to her, owning such a device. Sam claimed it was helpful if she ever wanted Kara’s digits. “You can use this for music for now,” she said while she handed her phone to Reign. “Later, I will get you a device you can keep.”

“Not too loud,” Lena cautioned when Reign’s fingers moved over the screen. “And music only. If I catch you doing something else, you won’t get a music device, and I’ll take away your books. Do not shatter the trust I’m giving you.”

“You are not my mother,” Reign whispered exceptionally quiet, yet not silent enough to keep Lena from hearing her.

Lena paid no mind to Reign’s hushed frustrations. She poured the liquid into a pan, brought it to a simmer, and added red nigella and mountain tarragon.

Reign swung her legs more when she chose a song, its volume no higher than one of a conversation. “Are you staying tonight?”

“I’ll sleep on it,” Lena answered, adding sprinkles of demon herb to her potion.

Reign stopped swinging her legs. “Vampires don’t sleep,” she replied, crossing her arms when Lena gave her a crooked smile. “You’re not going to sleep on it. That’s mean.”

Lena let her potion cool down. She considered her words wicked rather than mean. If she outright wanted to be mean, Reign would know. “I need to feed first, afterward I’m all yours,” she said, laughing when Reign toyed with a lock of her hair. “Yours as in, I will stay the night while you sleep.”

“Why do you resent attachments? Is it wrong for us to be friends?”

“We are not friends,” Lena corrected sharply.

“Oh,” Reign whispered. Her chin dipped to her chest while her lips pressed tightly together.

Lena clenched her fists and unclenched them. That oh sounded sad, the look in Reign’s eyes forlorn, the totality of it clawed at her chest like a vice.

“Yet,” Lena spoke up, clearing her throat. “We are not friends yet.”

Reign glanced up. Her hands moved fast as she selected another song on Lena’s phone.

Lena hated how maybe she did love Reign, in a sense. She loved her the way she loved Sam, like family.

Reign rapped her fingers on her legs. “You can count on me like one, two, three,” she sang while she counted the numbers on her fingers. “I’ll be there. And I know when I need it I can count on you like four, three, two, you’ll be there. ‘Cause that’s what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah.”

With each passing day, it puzzled Lena more why she was the only vampire who did not believe in the prophecy, though she kept in mind Sam barely knew about it, and Julia did not know at all. So it was possible they might see it her way and see the prophecy for the utter nonsense it was. Reign was not some destined vampire hunter or killer; she was a soft soul with a fragile heart.

When Lena went upstairs, she found Sam sitting on the couch with Alex and Julia. She raised a brow and beckoned Sam over with her finger.

Sam took her eyes away from the movie. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Alex, kissing her cheek.

Lena stepped into the kitchen; arms crossed over her chest. “Do her parents know she’s here?” she asked in a whisper.

“No, they don’t even know she’s seeing me,” Sam answered with a silent sigh. “Don’t make a big deal out of this. She can make her own decisions.”

Lena clenched her jaw and dismissed Sam with a flick of her wrist. If they wanted to play with fire, so be it. She grabbed a thermos filled with blood and went down to her lab to keep Reign company.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex tiptoed out of the bathroom, which adjoined to Sam’s bedroom. It was rather peculiar, honestly, how a vampire incapable of sleeping, had a bedroom. Not just any bedroom, no, a master bedroom. The bed was huge, suitable to fit four people comfortably.

Sam was on the bed, clad in shorts which stopped mid-thigh and a tank top.

Alex’s eyes lingered treacherously on Sam’s long, exposed legs. For a vampire, she was surprisingly not that pale. Her skin wasn’t overly tanned, but she did have a tan. She slowly dragged her eyes up, memorizing every inch of Sam’s skin. Her own chosen outfit for the night was similar, though instead of a tank top, she was wearing a shirt.

Someone had to pinch her to let her know that this was real. She was actually at Sam’s place, about to sleep over, for the first time. The fact Sam was likely going to watch her the whole night was an unfair advance of her girlfriend to have. She hoped she wasn’t going to do anything embarrassing, such as talking during her sleep or drooling.

“Are you okay with me staying in the room?” Sam asked while she shifted on the bed, seemingly taking Alex’s pause for hesitation. “I can stand in the hall if that’s more comfortable for you.”

Alex’s tongue darted out of her mouth, moisturizing her lips. “Don’t you dare,” she said, unable to take her eyes off of Sam as she neared the bed. Like a Cheshire cat, she climbed into bed and pushed Sam down.

Sam’s hair splayed around the pillow. She moved her head up, elbows supporting her weight, claiming Alex’s lips in a kiss which started out soft. Their kiss grew hungrier, tongues exploring each other’s mouth as if they were hunting for a treasure.

Alex moaned into Sam’s mouth. She felt Sam’s fangs, but when she ran her tongue over them, Sam withdrew her fangs. She was impressed by her girlfriend’s self-control, which she couldn’t relate to, not when she pushed her down into the mattress as if she was starving. She craved Sam’s addictive lips. Every kiss made her yearn for another, and another.

Sam’s tongue swept across Alex’s lips, moaning when Alex bit her. She lowered her head back onto the pillow and rested her hands loosely on Alex’s hips.

Alex got so caught up in the moment she didn’t realize how much her hands wandered until she touched a naked breast. She gasped at the contact, at the softness of Sam’s skin. While Sam’s skin was cold, it wasn’t the reason why she shivered. Heat rose up to her cheeks and spread down to her neck. An apology was on the tip of her tongue. Her brain promptly short-circuited when blunt nails raked down her back.

Sam moved her hands lower down Alex’s back and gazed up at her. Specks of red were showing in her hazel eyes. She brought one hand up, brushing Alex’s hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?”

Alex glanced down. Her hand was still on Sam’s breast, oh god. It was the first time she touched someone else’s breasts. When she looked at Sam, she groaned at the cheeky smile on her face. “My hand slipped,” she mumbled, but as she was about to lower her hand to splay it on Sam’s stomach, Sam placed her hand on top of hers.

“I don’t mind,” Sam whispered, voice coming out surprisingly breathy for a vampire. “You can explore a little unless you’re uncomfortable.”

“Oh yeah, I’m so uncomfortable with my girlfriend allowing me to touch her,” Alex replied, smiling, leaning down to kiss Sam. She licked into her mouth, simultaneously squeezing Sam’s breast, moaning upon feeling her nipple stiffen underneath her palm.

Sam didn’t try to take control. She didn’t flip Alex over to ravish her. Each kiss matched Alex’s pace. When Alex slowed, she did the same.

Alex moved until she was lying next to Sam. She stifled a yawn and nuzzled closer, resting her head right next to Sam. She bit her lip, wondering if Sam wanted to touch her. Everything which happened between them since they met was reasonably innocent. She liked how there was no rush, how she was able to take the time she needed. As much as she dreamt of being intimate with Sam, she wasn’t ready to go all the way yet.

Sam chuckled when Alex yawned. “Your yawns are cute,” she whispered, reaching out to caress Alex’s cheek.

Alex huffed. “My yawns aren’t cute,” she muttered, shutting Sam up with a kiss. “I don’t want to sleep yet,” she sighed.

Sam wrapped an arm around Alex, drawing her closer until Alex rested her head on her chest. “There will be more nights in the future for your hand to slip,” she said, chuckling when Alex jabbed at her ribs.

Alex should have known Sam couldn’t resist teasing her if only a little. She hoped her heart wasn’t beating too quickly when she thought of the one place where her hand might slip easier. “Are you going to stare at me all night long?”

Sam hummed. “Wouldn’t you stare at art?”

Alex smiled. Of course, that was Sam’s reaction. “No,” she whispered, kissing Sam’s neck. “I’d pin it against the wall.”

Sam’s laugh was warm and full. “Spoken like a true soulmate,” she said, releasing a moan when Alex bit her neck. “You’re supposed to go to sleep, not get me all worked up.”

Alex’s cheeks resembled a tomato as she stopped. She knew she affected Sam, but she didn’t think she made her all hot and bothered. “Good night,” she whispered, shuddering while Sam stroked her hair.

“Good night, baby,” Sam replied, increasing Alex’s blush.

 


	20. Chapter 20

Lena brought three thermoses. She drank more, again, but she could not help it. Ever since that night where she smelled Kara’s blood from the small scratch she sustained, which healed after no more than five seconds, her thirst increased. She wanted to applaud Sam for her self-control around Alex, a human who was fragile and had a skin easy to penetrate. Not that she ever intended biting Kara, no matter how strong the temptation.

Kara moved her chair closer. She tried being subtle about it, bless her sweet sunshiny soul, but Lena noticed how each time they had lunch together, she sat closer.

Five more inches, give or take, and their arms would touch.

Lena was mindful to lick her lips less, considering she did not want a repeat of Kara choking. She took slow, calculated sips, taking her time to savor her lunch. Kara had a cupcake tucked in the side of her lunchbox, its scent invaded her nostrils and made her want to retch.

“The other day I read something,” Kara said, breaking the silence. “About Ivan the Great,”  she added, eyeing Lena.

Ivan the Great ruled Russia in 1462. Lena laughed dryly and shook her head. “Is this how you are playing trying to discover my age?”

Kara pouted. “No,” she muttered, taking a bite of her cupcake. “Yes,” she whispered, sighing. “You’re too smart. It’s not fair.”

“It was cunning, but I don’t fall for such tricks, darling,” Lena replied, smiling. She observed as a healthy blush colored Kara’s cheeks, though she did not regret the term of endearment. It was not an accident. She meant to say it. 

“Besides,” Lena said, “I am a history teacher. My retelling of events does not indicate whether I was or wasn’t there.”

“I’d notice the difference,” Kara disagreed. “When you talk about a historical event you’ve lived through, you include more details. It sounds less copied from a book and more like a retelling from your perspective. Your voice becomes less monotone when you were there.”

“How sweet of you to inform me I carry no intonation unless I speak of history I’ve seen.”

Kara opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Her eyes were comically wide.

Lena chuckled. “I was kidding,” she said, placing a hand on Kara’s arm. “It’s possible I do have a tell, which you appear to have noticed.”

“I always notice you,” Kara rushed out, cheeks darkening.

“If I tell you my age, do you promise not to squeal or shout, or well, make any loud sound for that matter?” Lena asked, watching Kara’s eyes twinkle with delight. “I’d also appreciate it if you don’t make a run for it, considering I can’t outrun you.”

“Oh, so if I run, you’d chase me?” Kara replied, biting back a smile. “I’ll try to stay calm and composed.”

Lena arched a brow. It was not convincing, but she knew Kara was eager to know and was unlikely to let it go. “I am six-hundred and sixty-six,” she revealed, not the least bit surprised when Kara gaped at her.

“Six…,” Kara whispered. She paused and gulped. “Six… six. That’s, ah, um, quite the number.”

“Maybe I’m the devil reincarnated,” Lena said, pleased seeing Kara crack a smile. “After all, you did believe I was either a zombie or a ghost.”

“Oh Rao, I was guessing. How was I supposed to know you’re a vampire who can walk in the sun?”

“And a talking zombie was more logical to you how exactly? Not to mention how well you seemed to notice me, for me being a ghost.”

Kara groaned. “You’re such a tease, Lena,” she said, swatting Lena’s arm.

Lena stilled at how much Kara was in her personal space right now. She bit her lip when her eyes dipped down to glance at Kara’s lips.

“Lena,” Kara whispered. She took a shaky breath and tucked a lock of Lena’s hair behind her ear. “Did you know since day one?”

Lena knew what Kara was asking. She told Kara she would not lie to her. Her hopes Kara would not question her on this topic dissipated. “I did,” she answered, grasping Kara’s hand, bringing it up to her lips, brushing a kiss on the back of it.

Kara sucked her lips into her mouth and nodded.

“We are soulmates,” Lena said, and even though Kara knew, she still caught a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “It’s complicated. I’m complicated. There are things you don’t know. I killed people, heaps of them, and that’s hardly scraping the surface.”

“Your past isn’t how I know you. I’ve seen you help people. I may not know who you were before we met, but I believe I’m reaching the point where I know who you are now.”

“Kara,” Lena whispered, eyes fluttering shut when Kara kissed her cheek. “Kara, please,” she uttered, feeling Kara’s lips move to her jaw and then her neck. “Kara, stop.”

Kara did stop. She leaned away and stared at the desk.

“I can’t do this,” Lena stated, feeling a familiar pang in her chest. She was too dark and too heartless for Kara. Her world was too different. “I can’t break your heart, Kara.”

Kara looked at Lena with tears glistening in her eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong,” she replied as she got up. “You already did.”

Lena got up as well. She caught Kara’s wrist and pulled her into her, refusing to let her go like that. Hurting Kara was never her intention. She lifted Kara’s chin and kissed her tears away. “The way I feel about you terrifies me,” she confessed, resting their foreheads together while she caressed Kara’s back. “How does slow sound?”

Kara gazed at Lena through wet lashes. “Slow,” she whispered, sparing a smile.

“I have a cellular device,” Lena said as she went to retrieve it from her briefcase. “Do you have a number?”

“I do, and it’s not six-hundred and sixty-six,” Kara answered, laughing softly.

“Hilarious,” Lena replied with a half-hearted roll of her eyes and a genuine smile.

After receiving Kara’s phone number, Lena hugged her. From the bone-crushing way Kara hugged her back, she felt she needed it, so she did not let go until the bell signaled their lunch break was over.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam smiled at the sight of Alex’s wind-swept hair as her girlfriend came running towards her. She opened her arms, lifted Alex up and twirled her while their lips connected.

Alex wrapped her legs around Sam’s waist, smiling when Sam pushed her against the nearest building.

Sam licked at the seam of Alex’s lips. It was night, and her girlfriend sneaked out for her, but she knew Alex didn’t mind taking the risk. She attached her lips to Alex’s neck, kissing every inch of skin she could touch.

Alex chuckled. “Are you thirsty or are you just happy to see me?”

Sam pressed a kiss to Alex’s pulse point. “When it comes to you, definitely both,” she answered, capturing Alex’s smiling lips. She kissed her once more and slowly lowered her. “You have no idea how tempting it is to ravish you,” she whispered, grasping the lapels of Alex’s leather jacket.

Before she went too far, Sam caught herself. This was Alex, sweet Alex, and she wanted to stick to the pace her soulmate set. Alex wasn’t off-mark that time she teased her it must have been a long time for her because it had been. Since she became a vampire, she hadn’t been with anyone other than Alex. The need for companionship was there, but it wasn’t a strong enough feeling, and she had Lena to keep her company.

When she met Alex, something changed for Sam. Since that day, she did crave something more profound, a more meaningful, lasting connection. She didn’t want to rush anything. Personally, she had all the time in the world, and while her soulmate couldn’t say the same, she was happy simply having Alex in her life. Kissing her was enough. God, even holding hands was.

Alex laced her fingers with Sam’s, softly smiling as they walked through the vacant streets. “Kara told me she and Lena are soulmates,” she said, to which Sam nodded.

“Lena told me,” Sam revealed, only because Alex knew the truth now.

“I had a hunch they were. They have lunch together once or twice every week,” Alex said, sighing audibly. “I’m worried about my sister. The way I see it, she’s head over heels for Lena, and now they have each other’s phone number. I’d really hate it if Lena hurts Kara’s feelings. She’s gone through enough in her life.”

Sam understood Alex’s concerns. She was worried as well, though she was mostly concerned about Lena. While she had no idea of the full scope of Lena’s life, she knew her friend had gone through a lot.

“Lena doesn’t carry her heart on her sleeve that easily, but she’s a good person,” Sam said, caressing the back of Alex’s hand with her thumb. “She genuinely cares for Kara. When your sister lost her necklace, she combed through Midvale with a microscope. You could say she’s head over heels, too, but she has walls up.”

Sam didn’t resist Alex’s pull when Alex led her into the back of a theater. It was empty, but there was a set in place.

Alex grabbed the microphone in the middle of the stage. “Duet with me,” she said, gasping when Sam smirked. “I said duet due-et,” Alex spelled out. “You sly fox,” she laughed, cupping the back of Sam’s neck, drawing her into a kiss.

When Alex started singing, Sam was pretty confident she wanted to marry Alex someday.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Who the hell transfers to another school when the school year is almost over?” Lucy mumbled. “It’s weird.”

Kara took bites from her lunch while she checked out the new girl. Their math teacher briefly introduced her this morning.

The new girl was a transfer student who just moved here from Britain. She sat alone at a table. Most students were too engrossed in their lunch and their friends to pay her any mind, though some glanced at her now and then. She wasn’t eating anything. Her skin was pale, aside from a hint of rouge on her cheeks. Long black locks which reached all the way down her back were tied together. Her clothes – a blouse with hand-stitched details, designer jeans, sunglasses which changed color depending on how the sunlight reflected on them, and her Gucci backpack – didn’t scream high school student. She looked a tad older than the other students, nineteen or twenty maybe.

Alex elbowed Kara’s side. She jerked her head towards the new girl, eyes round and urgent.

Kara frowned, but when Alex pointed at her chest, she understood what she was trying to convey. Ears trained, her jaw dropped. Oh Rao, the new girl didn’t have a heartbeat. She closed her mouth, swallowed thickly and nodded.

Alex typed the word vampire on her phone and showed it to Lucy and Imra.

Kara roped her friends into going over to the new girl’s table. Last year, when Imra was new, she had done the same for her. “Emily, right?” she asked with a friendly smile, which brightened when the new girl responded with a nod. “I’m Kara, we, ah, share classes. Welcome to Midvale,” she said, holding out her hand.

Alex made a face and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something about the gesture, but whatever it was, she closed her mouth and swallowed it down.

Lucy muttered something under her breath how they were in the cafeteria, but Kara wanted to be polite. Vampire didn’t equal bad or dangerous. This new girl was welcome to attend school as much as any other student.

Emily clasped Kara’s upper arm rather than shaking her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Kara,” she said, smile thin as she let go. Her British accent checked out.

Kara didn’t know British people did their handshakes differently, but if she ever crossed paths with someone from Britain again, she would get it right. It was an honest mistake. One Emily didn’t seem to mind. On second thought, it might have been a vampire thing.

“Oh,” Kara said, tapping her palm against her forehead, chuckling lightly. “These are my friends,” she said as she pointed at them one by one. “Alex, Imra, and Lucy.”

“Hello,” Emily said to Alex, Imra, and Lucy, holding out her arm in their general direction.

Alex was the first to react. “Hey, nice to meet you,” she replied, clasping Emily’s upper arm.

Imra did the same.

Lucy, on the other hand, promptly shook Emily’s hand, frowning when Emily clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and stared at her hand as if Lucy passed on a virus.

“I can’t even with all of this,” Lucy muttered as she turned around. “I’m going to get some snacks from the vending machine. Later, babes.”

“Don’t mind Luce,” Alex said to Emily. “She’s an ass sometimes, but she’s a good person.”

Kara shared a glance with Imra. She knew how hard it was to be the new girl, to be the one who stuck out like a sore thumb, they both did. “Would you like to sit with us?” she offered Emily. “We have plenty of space at our table.”

Lucy returned after they were seated at their table again, with Emily.

“So, you’re from Britain,” Lucy said while she tossed snacks onto the table, staring directly at Emily. “How old are you?”

“Twenty. My family often traveled when I was younger. As a result, I missed a lot of school and was held back twice.”

Kara wondered why Emily was held back twice when she saw her solving math questions on the board during class without making a single mistake. In fact, Emily even corrected their teacher on an error, which she noticed also. It was possible Emily was simply good at math, but she had a feeling the new girl was a bright student.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena tried to decipher the faces and other symbols Kara had sent to her phone. Sam told her those were called emojis. There was a wide variety of them listed on her phone. One of the faces was smiling. There was a thumb next to it. Another face had a blue circle on its head. A bunch of hearts was involved as well; red, yellow, green, blue and pink. There was a rainbow at the end.

As she got into her rickety elevator to go down to her lab, she pondered how to respond to Kara’s text. There was a face with two hearts on it, which she clicked first. She added a finger pointing to the right and what appeared to be an okay sign. Surely that meant something along the lines of _‘I have love for you, okay?’_

Kara responded with a series of wide-eyed faces with red cheeks.

Lena nearly dropped her phone when it rang. She stopped the elevator and picked up, despite the poor timing. “He- Kara, slow down,” she said, holding her phone a couple of inches away from her ear when Kara rambled at a high-pitched squeal-like volume.

“I suggested what?” Lena asked the moment Kara finished her ramble. Her phone thudded to the floor of her elevator. Sex, she suggested _sex_. It appeared the finger to the right followed by the okay symbol meant sex.

With a string of curses in multiple languages, Lena scooped up her phone. She ought to ask Sam for a crash course in how to speak emoji. “Kara, my sincere apologies for my indecency,” she said while she heard Kara calling out to her god repeatedly on the other end of the line. “I assure you, it was a misunderstanding.”

After ten of the most awkward minutes in Lena’s life, their conversation ended. She put her phone away and commanded her lift to move again. This was officially the last time she responded with emojis without knowing their proper meaning.

When the doors of the elevator swooshed open, something was amiss.

Stakes were on the floor, split down the middle and snapped in half. The door of Lena’s lab was open. After ten years of hiding Reign, she appeared gone.

Lena searched every corner of her lab, scrutinizing it, concluding Reign was indeed missing. Reign’s disappearance could only mean two things; someone came down here and took her, or she gained her powers back.

 


	21. Chapter 21

“Five thousand dollars,” Livewire said, recounting the money in the envelope. “You must be desperate. Do you want me to grab another human for you to recruit for your clan?”

“I am not recruiting,” Lena corrected. The fact Julia turned was an unfortunate incident. She did not have a clan. While she was protective of Julia and Sam, she was not their leader. “This money is for another job.”

Livewire put the envelope away in her pocket inside of her jacket. “Let’s hear it.”

“There is a rumor you need to spread for me, among vampires.”

Livewire took a step back when Lena took a step forward.

Lena kept taking steps until Livewire’s back wound up against the wall, preventing her from backing away any further. It was somewhat satisfying she instilled fear, though that was not the purpose of her actions. She brought her lips close to Livewire’s ear.

“Rumor has it there is a second prophecy, an original prophecy. According to the prophecy, a woman named Reign is destined to strengthen Carpe Noctem. She will oversee peace among all species. However, the witch who spoke the prophecy was murdered by the witch who claimed Reign shall be our downfall and thus must die. The witch had a hidden agenda. She wished to have Reign destroyed to prevent peace. Reign is not a weapon. She is a beacon of hope. According to the original prophecy, if Reign were to perish, chaos among all species will follow.”

It was a lie, one Lena made up, but she ought to protect Reign. With Reign gone, the least she could do was create doubt to give Carpe Noctem a pause, to make them think before choosing to hunt Reign down as if she were a rodent. She never believed in the prophecy Reign was a vampire killer. For all she knew, it was a gross lie, spoken into existence for unclear motives. The witch who made the prophecy was dead, so there was no telling what her goal was.

“Reign, hm, okay,” Livewire hummed. “A decade ago, people were talking she got killed. Quite brutally so, might I add. Seemed a little inhumane, but what can you expect from vampires?” she explained, ducking her head when Lena’s eyes turned red. “Anyway, my point is I’ve heard she might still be alive.”

Lena need not remember the state she found Reign in. Brutal was an accurate way of putting it. Miraculously enough, Reign survived the multitude of wounds she sustained, all the stab wounds and the burn marks. They could have killed Reign quickly. Instead, they tried to kill her slowly.

Livewire shifted and moved aside the second Lena gave her the space to step away. “Why is this rumor so important to you?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I do not pay you to question me,” Lena replied evenly. “Go.”

Lena paced around. It troubled her she had no idea of Reign’s whereabouts. Reign was not a killer. After spending a decade with her, she did not believe Reign had a single bad bone in her body. Throughout the years, Reign had more than one opening to harm or kill her. Whenever she opened the lab, Reign could have stepped under the stream of liquid silver and could have used it to burn her skin.

They were wrong about Reign. She would not even kill a fly, Lena was willing to bet her life on that.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex strolled through the woods with Lucy. This weekend, she stayed over at her best friend’s place, considering she missed spending time with her. Lucy mentioned her father wasn’t home this weekend, which was a golden opportunity. Not that Lucy’s father had any issues with her, though he was a rather strict man and didn’t let Lucy go out that much or let her have sleepovers.

She had known Lucy since forever. They grew up together. Back in kindergarten, they became best friends after she pushed a boy down in the sandbox because he shoved Lucy. It felt nice she didn’t lie to her parents this time when she told them she was spending the weekend at a friend’s.

“I thought nothing cool ever happened in Midvale, but boy was I wrong,” Lucy said, tossing an acorn as far as she could throw it.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you know the truth about everything now,” Alex replied, relieved Lucy wasn’t mad at her for not telling her about Sam, and the whole vampire thing. “You were reckless for following Imra and Kara into the woods at night though. Then again, if I had known about their crazy plan, I’d have followed them myself.”

“Yeah well, how the hell was I supposed to know vampires were a thing? When those people disappeared, I was betting on abduction by aliens.”

Alex stopped walking when a twig snapped. It came from their left, from behind the bushes. She held a finger to her lips, shared a nod with Lucy and walked around the bush. It was light out, so she didn’t expect any trouble. Plus, Sanguis Praedonum was gone.

“Sam…?” Alex whispered. She gaped at the blood which coated Sam’s clothes when she stepped out from behind a tree. As her eyes roamed down her body, she noticed she wasn’t wearing any shoes, let alone socks. “Wait, you’re not Sam,” she said, frowning as she took in the differences.

The woman was the spitting image of Sam, like an identical twin. Only, her skin was more tanned. Her chest was heaving as if she was breathing without faking it. There was no recognition in her eyes, no sign she knew Alex.

Lucy leaned closer towards Alex, lips brushing her ear. “Do you reckon she’s a vamp?” she asked, eyes shifting towards the woman.

Alex took a step towards the woman who wasn’t moving. “I’m Alex, and this is my friend, Lucy,” she said, holding her hands up while she took another step. “What’s your name?”

“Reign.”

“Strange name,” Lucy commented, shrugging a shoulder when Alex gave her an incredulous look. “Just saying, seems a little unusual.”

Alex took another step. She was a mere step away from stepping into Reign’s personal space, and she decided that was close enough. “Who’s blood is that?” she asked, unsure if Reign was hurt. It was too much blood to belong to one person. Reign’s shirt was drenched.

Reign glanced at her shirt, then back up at Alex. “Not mine,” she answered, and Alex realized her voice was different from Sam’s, almost robotic.

“Not…,” Alex sighed.

“Alright,” Lucy said, shaking her head as she looked Reign up and down. “Come with us, we’ll get you a change of clothes,” she said while she turned around, waving Reign closer with her hand. “You can’t stay out here in the woods like that.”

Alex breathed out a laugh when Lucy jumped up the second Reign grasped Lucy’s hand.

Lucy looked down at her hand. “Hm, you’re not cold,” she murmured. “Not a vampire then.”

“Hey, Al,” Lucy called out over her shoulder. “Do you reckon she’s a murderer? My dad would freak if I’d take a serial killer home.”

“I’m not a killer,” Reign grumbled.

Alex face-palmed at her best friend’s lack of subtlety. She jogged up to them, though in all fairness there was no telling whether Reign was dangerous or not. It was strange they found her wandering in the woods, barefooted and soaked in blood.

“Are you by any chance related to Sam?” Alex asked, recalling Sam told her she was an orphan.

“Yes,” Reign answered, still holding Lucy’s hand, who didn’t seem bothered by it. “I am her sister.”

“Sister,” Alex whispered, frowning. Reign and Sam looked the same age, but Sam had been a vampire for a decade. She pressed her fingers to Reign’s wrist and registered she had a pulse.

“How do you know Sam?”

“I, well…,” Alex said, scratching the back of her neck. “Sam and I are in a relationship.”

“You sure got a lot of blood on you,” Lucy noted as she eyed Reign while they walked towards her house. “My friends generally call me Luce instead of Lucy. Mind if I call you Rey instead of Reign?”

“Luce,” Reign repeated. “Why are you so tiny?”

“We can’t all be tall vamps,” Lucy answered, grinning.

Reign gave Lucy a puzzled look. “I’m not a vampire.”

Lucy’s grin widened.

Alex rolled her eyes. It was strange, observing her best friend being a tad flirty with a Sam lookalike. Or well, Sam’s sister. She was confused why her girlfriend didn’t mention to her she had a sister. Sam told her she was an orphan. She didn’t understand why Sam lied to her. This whole situation was bizarre.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara’s phone pinged. She was at Imra’s place. They were in the middle of decorating cupcakes, though from the six cupcakes she decorated so far, she ate four.

“Kara?” Imra said when Kara frowned. “Everything alright?”

“It’s my sister. I need to go. She texted me there’s something I’ll want to see, whatever that’s supposed to mean,” Kara answered, shooting a quick text back to let Alex know she was on her way.

“Okay. Text me later if you want or if you feel like keeping me in the loop.”

Kara nodded. She grabbed a cupcake, kissed Imra’s cheek and rushed off while Imra’s laughter sounded in the background. In her defense, she was kind of hungry, even though she shared four pizzas with Imra before they made the cupcakes.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Kara showed up on Lucy’s doorstep. She sent off a quick text to her sister, who opened the door for her. “Hey, I came here as fast as I could. Is everything okay?”

“It’s better if I show you,” Alex answered, closing the door behind Kara.

Kara picked up on three heartbeats, four if she included her own. She had no idea to who the slow and steady pulse belonged, though she had no doubt she was going to find out soon as she followed her sister up the stairs.

“Sam’s here?” Kara asked when she saw her enter the bathroom. “Wait… heartbeat…,” she whispered, eyebrows knitting together, scratching her cheek.

“That’s not Sam,” Alex filled in. “Her name is Reign. She’s Sam’s sister.”

“Sam has a sister?” Kara replied while a crinkle appeared between her eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

Alex sighed. “I’m as confused as you are,” she answered, leaning against the wall.

Kara had many questions. She wanted to know why Reign looked like Sam as two drops of water, how she ended up at Lucy’s place, why Reign had blood on her clothes, whose blood she had on her clothes; Oh Rao, she had a lot to ask.

Lucy rummaged through her closet while the water of the shower was running inside of the bathroom. She stepped out into the hall with black and white checkered pajama pants, and a black top with the words _‘kiss me I’m gay’_ printed on it.

“My dad hates it when I wear this,” Lucy sighed, folding the pajama over her arm. “I might’ve bought it to spite him,” she said with a bitter chuckle, staring down at her feet.

“Your dad doesn’t know how lucky he is to have such an amazing daughter,” Alex said, squeezing Lucy’s shoulder.

Kara didn’t comprehend why Lucy’s father lacked supporting his daughter based on who Lucy was attracted to. He should be thanking the gods he had a child, he should celebrate Lucy’s life. On Krypton, there were plenty of people who wanted a child and had been denied having one, and she knew there were many people on earth wishing for a child while not able to get one. When she thought of those people, it saddened her how some parents who were lucky to have children shunned them over nothing.

The shower stopped running.

“I got you something comfy to wear,” Lucy said when the door opened. “Oh sweet gay Jesus,” she gasped, gaping as Reign emerged from the bathroom, naked.

“Fuck,” Alex whispered, averting her eyes.

Kara stared at the floor as droplets of water trickled down. She feigned a cough to stir Lucy out of her frozen state.

Lucy opened and closed her mouth two times before words came out. “Clothes,” she said while her eyes roamed up and down. She held out the shirt and the pants, cheeks crimson.

Reign grasped the pajama and studied it. She tilted her head as she read the text on the shirt, dropped the clothes to the floor, took a step forward and placed her finger under Lucy’s chin.

The back of Lucy’s head knocked into the wall when Reign’s lips crashed onto hers.

“Oh for fucks sakes,” Alex muttered. “This is just… I don’t even know.”

Kara squeezed her sister’s hand. It wasn’t Sam, but she understood the resemblance was striking. Reign must have thought the text on the shirt was a request from Lucy. That kiss was indubitably more than she needed to see because some tongue was involved.

Lucy touched her fingertips to her lips when Reign backed away. “Oh… I…whoa,” she breathed out, slumping down. She fanned her face with her hand. “I…one… five, may-maybe fifty… minutes.”

Alex snorted. “Are you having a gay panic?” she asked Lucy. “I’ve been waiting to see the day something like this would happen. Well, not exactly like this, but you catch my drift.”

Reign went back into the bathroom. Less than five minutes later, she stepped out, wearing the pajama Lucy gave her. The pants stopped mid-calf and hung low on her hips while the shirt suited her perfectly. Her eyes flicked down to the text on the shirt, and then she looked at Lucy, Alex, and Kara.

“Nope,” Alex said, turning around.

Kara shook her head. “The words on that shirt don’t mean someone has to kiss you, it’s, ah, optional,” she explained to Reign, fidgeting with her glasses. “So, erm, what’s your story? Where did you come from?”

“We found her in the woods,” Alex said, followed closely by Reign saying, “Krypton.”

“Wait, what?” Kara said, frowning at Reign. “Kryp… but…,” she trailed off, shaking her head.

“I was sent to earth when I was little,” Reign answered, plucking at her shirt. “Sam and I shared a body. A decade ago, they took Sam, and they separated us. They took my powers, tried to kill us.”

“Who are they?” Alex asked. “What do you mean you shared a body with Sam? Were you conjoined twins?”

“If I can get food I will give you answers.”

Lucy scrambled up to her feet. “I’ll order pizza, I’m kinda hungry, too,” she said, fishing her phone from her pocket.

Half an hour later, they sat around the table with eight boxes of pizza for the four of them and a serving of potstickers for Kara.

Reign stacked three slices of pizza on top of each other, eating as if starved.

Kara was taken aback by Reign’s appetite as she noticed her eating four pizzas by herself. It was a good thing Alex and Lucy shared a pizza, and that she already had a bite to eat at Imra’s place before she came here. Reign mentioned her powers were gone, but clearly, her appetite wasn’t.

“When Luce and I found you in the woods, you were drenched in blood,” Alex said to Reign, leaning her elbows on the table. “What happened?”

“Self-defense,” Reign answered, eyes flitting around the room. She hugged her arms around herself. “They attacked me. They made me do it.”

“Who did?”

“Vampires,” Reign whispered. “They want me dead. All of them, except one.”

Alex chewed her lip. “Except Sam?”

Reign shook her head. “Sam doesn’t know I survived.”

“Okay, so not Sam,” Lucy said. “I don’t get why vampires want you dead. Who’s the vampire who doesn’t want you dead and how do you know?”

“She saved my life ten years ago. I lived in her lab where she took care of me.”

“Lena,” Kara said, and even if Reign didn’t immediately confirm it, she knew it to be true.

Reign kept mumbling they made her do it while Alex tried to ask her how she survived the attack.

“I think that’s enough,” Lucy spoke up. “She’s been through a lot and we should let her get some rest.”

Kara decided to spend the night at Lucy’s place to help her and Alex to keep an eye on Reign. She was curious to discover more about Sam’s mysterious sister, watching as Reign fell asleep under the covers in Lucy’s arms. It didn’t make any sense to her why vampires wanted Reign dead.

 


	22. Chapter 22

Lena felt unnerved. After a decade of successfully hiding Reign, she lost her. It was unfathomable how that could have happened. She was cautious, always. Her traps failed her. Now Reign was out there.

“You look a little lost,” Julia whispered as she sat down next to Lena on the couch. “I noticed you searching for something when I came back home. If you tell me what it is, I can help you look for it.”

Lena was surprised how casually Julia referred to this mansion as home as if she fully accepted this was her reality. Julia was adaptable, she had to hand her that much. “Something from my lab is gone, it may have been stolen,” she replied, which was all she could say.

Lena wanted to trust Julia, wanted to believe she was capable of seeing reason and realizing Reign was not a threat in need of elimination. While Julia showed loyalty before, she could not afford the risk of revealing she had Reign for ten years.

“Your secret lair,” Julia said with a light chuckle. “That’s what Sam always calls it.”

Lena half wished she attached a tracker of sorts to Reign, but Reign was not some kind of animal. She had no trail to follow, no sign of which direction Reign headed towards or which way she was taken. The only footsteps she saw were in the woods, but they belonged to multiple people and they were all criss-cross, giving her no clarity.

“Where is Sam?” Lena asked when it occurred to her Julia came home without Sam.

“She went to the hospital for a supply run. I would have joined her, but hospitals are too loud and I’m not good with the smell of blood.”

Lena placed a hand on Julia’s knee. “You are doing wonderful, especially for a newborn,” she assured her, squeezing her knee. “Most newborns kill at least two people to feed when they were recently turned.”

Julia’s pupils dilated. “I would never do that,” she whispered, shaking her head, swallowing thickly. “I helped fight those vampires when they attacked Sam and Alex, but I wouldn’t kill people. I’d rather starve.”

Lena smiled ruefully. Julia genuinely deserved better than being a vampire. There was no gentler soul than Julia. “If I could give you your life back, I would,” she said, aware it was her fault for how she had Livewire bring Julia into the woods in the middle of the night.

“You gave me a new life, a family,” Julia replied as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Because of you, I have two people in my life who care about me and love me. I forgive you, Lena.”

Lena felt undeserving of such selfless forgiveness.

The door swung open and quick footsteps approached.

“Honey, I’m home,” Sam said with a wide smile, which was returned by Julia. “Lee?” she asked, smile dropping while she put a hand on Lena’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Lena opened her mouth to answer, but she was cut off by her phone vibrating. It was a text for Kara – of course, the only person who would send her a message. She was relieved it was not a string of emojis she had to decipher this time. Now was not a good time to ask Sam for a lesson in how to use those.

“Late night booty call?” Sam commented, laughing when Lena gave her a push.

Lena checked the time on her phone. It was a quarter past midnight. Kara asked if they could meet up in the woods. It was unusual of her soulmate to text such a request. She assumed it was important. While she preferred it for Kara to go to sleep, she replied, agreeing to meet up with her in the woods in ten minutes.  

“I am going for a walk,” Lena announced, ignoring the smug smirk on Sam’s face. It was unfortunate there was no temporary way of killing Sam.

“Hey,” Sam whispered, catching Lena’s wrist on her way out. “Talk later?” she asked, not letting go until Lena nodded.

Ten minutes later, Lena wandered around in the woods. Leaves rustled in the wind. The breeze flowed gently through her hair. Nights were always her favorite, even as a human. Before she became a vampire, she spent many nights under the stars. The darkness helped her hide. It often surprised her she managed to survive twenty-four years until she was bitten and left for dead.

Kara’s figure swam into view, accompanied by her steady heartbeat. She was running, though not from something but rather to something, or well, someone.

Lena lost her footing when Kara barreled into her. She had not anticipated Kara hugging her with such force.

“Hey,” Kara whispered, smiling down at Lena.

If this were anyone else, Lena would have pushed them away. But this was Kara, so she stayed where she was, even as sand and leaves messed up her hair and clothing. “Hello, darling,” she replied, gazing up at Kara. “Comfortable, are we?”

Kara let out a soft sigh. “Yeah,” she answered, trailing the tip of her finger down Lena’s jaw. “Wait,” she said, eyes widening minutely. “Am I crushing you?”

Lena could stay in this position for hours. Kara was nowhere near heavy on top of her. “I think I’ll live,” she said, pleased seeing a smile form on Kara’s gorgeous face. “Any reason why you wished to see me tonight?”

“I couldn’t sleep, and I missed you. I know you never sleep, so I thought that maybe you’d like to hang out for an hour or so if it’s no trouble. Did I mention I missed you? Oh Rao, I did, didn’t I? But it’s true; I missed you. Oh… three times, do I owe you a drink now?”

“Dork,” Lena whispered, quite taken by Kara’s adorable ramblings.

“Lena,” Kara breathed out, curling a lock of Lena’s raven hair around her index finger. “I…” She put a hand on Lena’s jaw, eyes flitting up and down rapidly.

Lena froze when Kara gave her a chaste kiss. It was so fleeting as if it did not happen, but it did. Her lips tingled, and before she could utter a single word, Kara got up and distanced herself, blue eyes like saucers.

Kara slid down against the trunk of a tree. She groaned, muttering words in Kryptonese.

Lena jumped up to her feet in one swift movement. She stalked over towards Kara and held out a hand. Once Kara accepted her hand, she used her strength to lift her up and promptly pulled Kara into her arms.

“It’s okay,” Lena said, feeling Kara relax in their embrace.

Kara’s nose nudged Lena’s jaw. “I want to kiss you again, but you said slow and oh Rao, I shouldn’t have done-” She shuddered when Lena pushed her against the tree.

Lena gazed at Kara through half-lidded eyes. Her hands came up, cradling Kara’s face as if she were porcelain. “It’s okay,” she reassured her, again. “Slow,” she whispered, leaning in.

Kara shivered when Lena’s lips kissed the corner of her mouth, and then her lips.

Lena left her hands where they were, even as Kara’s hands began to wander. She took Kara’s lower lip between hers, taking her time to kiss her. The feeling of Kara’s mouth burned right through her, setting all of her nerve endings on fire in a delightful way. Before this night, she only dared daydream about kissing her soulmate.

Kara’s tongue teased Lena’s lips apart. She tasted like minty toothpaste and rainbows.

Lena swallowed Kara’s throaty moan. If she had a heartbeat, she was sure it would have skipped a beat when Kara’s warm hands slid under her shirt, up her bare back. She felt Kara’s tongue touch her fangs, which she could not help because she was thirsty. If she had no prior knowledge of fangs being incapable of hurting Kara, she would have pushed her away.

When Kara’s hands touched Lena’s ribs, Lena caught them.

Lena’s lips disconnected from Kara’s. “Easy, darling,” she husked, caressing her cheek.

Kara smiled sheepishly. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes did not meet Lena’s. “Do you, ah, want to be my, um, girlfriend?” she asked, slowly dragging her eyes up to look at Lena.

With Kara’s presence, Lena’s problems appeared non-existent. How could she ever say no to her soulmate? Despite what she wanted to believe, her heart was not made out of stone.

“You’re to die for,” Lena said, and die for Kara she would. “Yes, Kara, I will be your partner.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara bit back a smile when her sister asked her where she was last night. She thought Alex was soundly asleep, but it appeared she noticed her leaving for a while. When her sister gave her a knowing smile, she couldn’t keep her smile at bay any longer.

“I’m happy for you,” Alex whispered, giving Kara brief hug.

“What’re you two smiling about?” Lucy asked, glancing at them.

Kara sighed contentedly. “I’ll explain later,” she promised.

Lucy put scrambled eggs and bacon onto a plate, setting it down in front of Reign. Her eyes flit down to her _‘kiss me I’m gay’_ shirt, which Reign still had on. She tangled her hand in the soft fabric and pulled Reign into a kiss.

“Luce,” Alex protested. “Seriously, just as I’m about to eat?”

“What?” Lucy replied, grinning. “She did it to me the other day. It’s only fair.”

“That doesn’t count. Reign read those words on your shirt and took them literally. You can’t just…argh…”

Lucy smirked while Alex buried her hands in her hair. “You don’t want me locking lips with your girlfriend’s doppelganger. I get it,” she said while she turned around. After one step, Reign grabbed the back of her shirt and with one tug; she stumbled onto Reign’s lap.

Reign adjusted Lucy on her lap, resting her chin on her shoulder, one arm looped around Lucy’s waist.

Since the rest of breakfast stood there, abandoned, Kara decided to help herself to two plates. While she ate, she kept thinking about last night, how she kissed Lena on a whim. When she was on top of Lena and gazed into her eyes, her heart was doing summersaults in her chest. She believed Lena was a good person, which the situation with Reign confirmed.

The knowledge Kara had thus far wasn’t much, but Reign specifically said Lena saved her life and that meant something. She didn’t tell Lena about Reign, which she chalked up to not knowing the full story yet and not knowing why Reign was wandering around after living in a lab for ten years. Plus, she was distracted last night after she stumbled down atop Lena.

“My dad probably won’t be home for another couple of days,” Lucy said. “But what are we going to do with Reign? When the weekend’s over, we got school again.”

“Stay,” Reign said, winding her other arm around Lucy as well.

Lucy smiled while Alex looked far from amused. “I want to keep her,” she sighed.

“She’s not a pet, Luce,” Alex huffed.

“I am not a pet,” Reign agreed.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Lucy countered, nestled comfortably on Reign’s lap. She opened her mouth when Reign tried to feed her some eggs. “Mhmm,” she hummed, swallowing down the mouthful Reign gave her. “I’ll stay home sick for a couple of days. It’s dangerous for Rey to go outside.”

“Sam might help if she knows Reign is alive,” Alex suggested. “I mean, I reckon she would. Besides, they’re sisters.”

Kara thought back to what Reign said about Lena saving her. “Reign,” she said, looking directly at the woman. “Can you tell us what happened the day you left the lab?”

“Vampires are immortal. They don’t rest. They won’t stop. Magdalena Morningstar has risked enough for me. I opened the door.”

“Sorry, wait, did you say Morningstar?” Alex asked, frowning. “Is Lena related to Gabriel Morningstar? Sam mentioned he’s the reason vampires have a soulmate.”

“Many centuries ago, the devil roamed the earth and gave birth to a son named Gabriel. His son then birthed four children, and they had children of their own. One of Gabriel’s grandchildren slaughtered his pregnant wife when he discovered she was a witch. With her last dying breath, she cursed his entire family. She created their bloodthirst. Her fate is why vampires exist,” Reign explained while it was quiet throughout Lucy’s house, silent enough to hear a needle drop.

“The child survived, protected by magic,” Reign continued. “Her name was Magdalena, Magdalena Morningstar. I do not have much knowledge how she lived as a human and how she became a vampire. I only know what they told me when I heard of the prophecy. Gabriel begged witches for forgiveness for what his grandson had done. One listened and granted vampires a soulmate, which was as much a curse as it was a blessing.”

Kara felt bad for Lena now that she knew her father killed her mother. She wondered if Lena knew what happened to her mother. It started making sense why Lena shut down so fast when she asked if she remembered her life as a human.

“So…,” Alex said, holding up a hand. “You’re saying Lena is a descendant… from the devil?”

“The last one of them,” Reign answered with a nod.

“Oh my god, my sister is dating the devil’s great-something.”

“Alex!” Kara gasped, giving her sister an incredulous look.

“Whoa, for real?” Lucy asked as one corner of her mouth moved upward. “I kind of wish I had popcorn right now. By all means, do tell me more. Tell me everything.”

“You all suck,” Kara muttered while she got up. “Enjoy your breakfast, but not really. I hope it tastes burnt.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena glared as Emily exited the school building. She waited for this all day. The new girl was nowhere near subtle, daring to attend a school where she taught. She knew Emily was a vampire due to her lack of a heartbeat. It was suspicious how Reign disappeared around the same time the young vampire showed up. She did not believe in coincidences.

The fact Kara smiled at Emily made Lena’s blood crawl. Surely her soulmate noticed Emily was a vampire. While her kind did aim to blend in as much as they wished, vampires rarely ever attended school, let alone high school. She heard the whispers, how Emily moved here from Britain, and how she was held back twice. It did not add up. Vampires did not attend high school as anything other than a teacher, period.

Emily walked at a slow, human pace as she placed more distance between herself and Midvale High with each step she took.

Lena bided her time. She was light on her feet as she followed the young vampire. The fact Emily wandered into the woods made this entirely too easy. She snatched Emily up, hand covering her mouth as she dragged the now struggling vampire towards her mansion, running as fast as she could.

“Who sent you?” Lena asked, tone snippy and cold while she slammed Emily against the wall inside of her house. “Answer me, or I will force liquid silver down your throat,” she hissed, though she could retrieve her truth serum to force answers out of the young vampire.

Emily writhed in Lena’s grip. “Lexa.”

Lena’s jaw clenched. “Carpe Noctem?” she asked, feeling her suspicions this vampire had something to do with Reign being gone getting stronger.

“No, Lexa,” Emily answered, trying again to no avail to escape the hold Lena had on her. “I am friends with her brother, Aden. She asked me to keep an eye on Kara, and her friends. I am one of the youngest vampires with self-control, that is why she chose me. The commander knew you were bound to find out. I am not here to threaten your beloved soulmate.”

Lena eased her grip on Emily, although if necessary, she could end her in a split second. Lexa knew. Lexa knew Kara was her soulmate. It explained the brief smile on Lexa’s face when they recovered those missing students, the way Lexa had looked at Kara and her.

Lena broke a chair and pinned a piece of it against Emily’s chest. “Did you steal from me?” she asked, punching her free hand through the wall.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Sam called out, walking in with Julia. “What’s all the noise about?”

“I am loyal to my mission,” Emily whispered, snapping the piece of wood like a twig. “No sane vampire would dare steal from you.”

Lena let go of Emily. She observed as the young vampire’s attention fell upon Julia.

Julia stared at Emily with parted lips.

“Hello, my name is Emily,” Emily said to Julia. “May I take you to a gala?”

“A gala?” Julia inquired. “Y-yes, I think I’d like that.”

“Thank you, milady,” Emily replied, dipping her head, grasping Julia’s fingertips, kissing her knuckles.

Lena eyed Emily warily. “If you hurt her, I will-” She stopped when she noticed Emily was not listening to her. 

Emily was looking solely at Julia as if nobody else was around. Her eyes were a little softer around the edges, and she had a barely-there smile. “If I were to decide between a life where I can live one day with you or a life where I can live forever without you, I would choose to live a day with you, for eternity would be naught without your smile.”

“Oh my,” Julia whispered, ducking her head while she smiled from ear to ear.

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. She was so not putting up with another soft vampire at her mansion. Hopeless cases; Sam, Julia, Emily, all of them. On the bright side, Julia deserved happiness, and it seemed Emily was of no threat and did not come here for Reign.

“Before I forget,” Emily said, drawing Lena’s attention. “Carpe Noctem requests your presence tomorrow at the stroke of midnight.”

 


	23. Chapter 23

Sam stood outside of Alex’s home. This was crazy, pure insanity. Her girlfriend tripping was one thing, but for Alex to jump down the roof on purpose was another thing entirely. She hoped Alex was kidding; though considering she did not once saw her hold back on her motorcycle, she knew it to be wishful thinking.

A window opened. There were footsteps on the roof, and then Alex waved down at Sam.

Sam sighed. “I swear she’s going to break something someday,” she mumbled quietly to herself.

“I know right?” Kara whispered from inside of the house. “Oh and, hi, Sam.”

Sam chuckled. “Hey, Kara,” she replied silently while she held out her arms to catch Alex.

Alex leaped off of the roof. “Oomph,” she groaned when Sam caught her.

“If I still had a pulse, you’d have given me a heart attack,” Sam said, setting Alex down gently. “The things I put up with for a cute girl…,” she trailed off, smiling while Alex huffed at being called cute.

Alex grasped Sam’s hand, glancing at her house as she picked up a quick pace, for what was considered fast for humans. She kept it up until they were three streets further.

Sam had little time to react when Alex jumped into her arms. She welcomed the warmth of her soulmate’s lips as they shared a kiss, hoping Alex didn’t taste any of the copper aftertastes from the blood she drank before she met up with her. It had crossed her mind to brush her teeth, but she hated spoiling the flavor. To non-vampires, she could imagine the mere thought of drinking blood was gross, but to her it was divine.

Alex deepened their kiss, hands finding purchase in Sam’s hair as she kissed Sam as if she wanted to ravish her.

Sam was used to hungry kisses taking place now and then, but this was different. There was more urgency to it, a stronger need. When she tried to slow their kiss, Alex bit her bottom lip and licked into her mouth, again.

After several minutes, Alex pulled back, gasping.

“Alex,” Sam whispered, running a hand through Alex’s hair. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“There’s something I have to tell and show you,” Alex answered, dragging a shuddering breath into her lungs. “We’re going to Lucy’s place. Her dad’s not home. She’s expecting us.”

Sam knew Lucy from that night they dealt with Sanguis Praedonum. She had not counted on needing to explain what happened to one of Alex’s friends. The whole vampire talk sure was fun, in particular, the part where Lucy kept saying _‘holy shit’_ on repeat, and once she finished explaining, Lucy tried to do what she said was martial arts.

“I hope she keeps her fake Kung Fu to herself this time,” Sam said, able to laugh about it now. The night it happened, laughing didn’t even cross her mind for a second. She was somewhat frustrated she got stuck with storytelling rather than joining the battle.

Alex frowned, but then she shook her head as if she didn’t even want to know. “Sam,” she sighed deeply, “I know about Reign.”

Sam skidded to a stop. There were parts of her life she hadn’t told Alex about, Reign being one of those parts. The first question on her mind was how. Lena knew, but she deemed it impossible Lena saw the need to pass it on to anyone. Carpe Noctem also knew she was separated from Reign, though they couldn’t have told Alex either.

“She’s alive,” Alex whispered. “Luce and I found her. We – Reign – needs your help.”

Sam tilted her head. “My help?” she inquired, walking at a sluggish pace when Alex tugged at her hand.

“Yes, yours,” Alex confirmed, sighing as she stilled. “She said vampires want her dead,” she said, which Sam knew of a decade ago when they tried to kill her along with Reign. “You’re her sister, so I imagine you-”

“Sister?” Sam asked, almost scoffing at the word. “Who told you that?”

Alex gave Sam a puzzled look. “She did.”

If there was an embodiment of confusion, Sam was it right now. It was strange Reign told Alex she was her sister when they weren’t related at all. “As far as I’m concerned, she was an unwelcome passenger in my body with the possible intention of killing me,” she said, resisting the urge to grind her teeth. “I almost – no, I did die. I’m a vampire because they wanted her dead, so they tried to kill me, too.”

“She’s been asking about you, wanting to know if you’re okay,” Alex shared.

Sam let her shoulders sag. “I did wonder if she tried to help me all those years ago,” she conceded, believing in the chance there was more to Reign than she knew.

“There’s more I can tell you, but I think it’s better if you hear it from her. And fair warning, she looks like she could be your twin sister, and she seems to have attached herself to Lucy.”

Sam didn’t imagine her night turning out this way. She thought Alex wanted to go for a ride or a walk. “I was going to tell you someday,” she said sincerely.

“It’s okay,” Alex replied with a tender smile. “I’ll admit I was confused at first why you told me you were an orphan when it turned out you weren’t. I thought you lied to me, but I understand now it’s more complicated than that. This situation isn’t going to come between us. I love you so much, Sam.”

They reached Lucy’s house where Lucy waited out on the porch.

“Hey, babes,” Lucy whispered, pushing the front door all the way open. “Rey’s in the bathroom. She’ll be out soon.”

Sam had no idea how to feel or what to think about the fact Reign was alive and that she was here. She heard a heartbeat coming from upstairs while she waited in the living room with Alex and Lucy.

Lucy coughed when a strong smell filled the room. “I see you’ve found my perfume,” she said while she looked up at the stairs. “Did you have to shower in it though?”

“I wanted to smell nice for you.”

The only time Sam had ever heard Reign’s voice was a decade ago, but the second she heard those words, she recognized Reign’s voice. It was real; Reign was alive.

Reign stared at Sam. She reached out, fingertips touching Sam’s face as if she was trying to ensure Sam was real.

Alex wasn’t kidding when she said Reign looked like she could be her twin. Sam barely had time to deal with her shock when Reign hugged her. Through the strong scent of perfume, she picked up on another smell.

“You’re not human,” Sam whispered, feeling strange due to how Reign clung to her.

“My DNA is Kryptonian.”

Sam stepped back and held Reign at arm’s length. “How did you survive that night?” she asked, touching Reign’s face the way Reign had touched hers. Reign’s cheeks were warm, and she heard blood running through her veins. “It’s been a decade, what happened to you?”

“I missed you, sister,” Reign said while she hugged her arms around herself. “My life has been cold and lonely without you.”

Sam thought of telling Reign they weren’t sisters, but something in Reign’s expression was so utterly broken it pulled at her heartstrings. “I’m here,” she replied, wrapping Reign into her arms.

Sam was wary this might all be an act, a part of some bigger ploy, but she was willing to give Reign the benefit of the doubt.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara smiled as she joined her friends outside of school. She went in for a hug with Imra, who opened her arms automatically, even before she spread hers. “Hey,” she said, exhaling while she hugged Imra a tad tighter.

“Hey, Kara,” Imra replied, chipper as she gave Kara a tight squeeze before she let go.

“Careful,” Lucy warned when Kara swept her into a hug next. “My ribs are a little sore.”

Kara took a step back with a frown on her face, pushing her glasses down to check out Lucy’s ribs. She stifled a gasp when she saw Lucy had a bruise there. As much as she wanted to question what happened, she couldn’t do it right now, not when they weren’t alone.

“I’ll explain later,” Lucy said, sighing while she pushed the strap of her backpack higher up her shoulder.

Kara gave Emily’s upper arm a quick squeeze to say hello. She knew Emily didn’t appreciate hugs, so she didn’t even try that with her.

“I made detailed notes for our classes,” Emily said while she unzipped her backpack. She had swapped her Gucci backpack for a basic non-branded black one. “These should help for our upcoming finals,” she explained as she showed them to Alex, Kara, Lucy, and Imra. “I made copies for each one of you.”

“Sweet,” Lucy said, smiling while she accepted the notes Emily handed to her. “Damn, this looks a lot easier than it does in our books,” she murmured, skimming through them.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Imra said to Emily.

“And I thought I had detailed notes,” Alex said, eyes flitting between the notes and Emily. “This must have taken you all night.”

“One could say so,” Emily replied, giving the last copies to Kara. “Friends help their friends.”

“Thank you,” Kara said, smiling brightly. She almost hugged Emily, but she caught herself in the nick of time. “It’s really super kind of you that you did this.”

“Yeah,” Lucy chimed in. “Thanks, Em,” she said, shrugging a shoulder when Emily frowned. “Just a nickname.”

The period right before lunch, they had history. Kara found herself distracted by Lena talking again. Her heart swelled, knowing Lena was her girlfriend, and that she could kiss her during their lunch break. She counted down the minutes and even the seconds.

The class wasn’t halfway yet when Kara was tempted to draw hearts, but she didn’t because she sat next to Emily rather than next to her sister. Since Emily joined their little group, they mixed up who sat next to whom during classes, so it wasn’t always Emily sitting alone or sitting next to another student.

Her attention shifted when Kara saw Emily writing what looked like poetry rather than what was on the board. By the time she thought of averting her eyes because she hadn’t asked for permission to read what Emily wrote down, Emily caught her staring.

Emily smiled a sincere smile rather than a thin smile while she wrote _‘for my soulmate.’_

Kara smiled back. Of course, Emily was a vampire, so she had a soulmate. She wondered how old Emily was in vampire years, how long it took for her to find her soulmate. Sometimes, when she thought how it took Lena more than six centuries, it saddened her.

When the bell rang, Emily glanced at Kara as Kara made no move to leave the classroom.

Kara opened her mouth to explain, or well, to lie she stayed behind to have Miss Luthor tutor her, but before she could say a word, Emily left the classroom with the rest of the students. She rushed to close the door while Lena shut the blinds.

Lena stood right in front of Kara when Kara faced away from the door.

Kara pouted when Lena kissed her cheek, and when Lena turned around, she wrapped her fingers around her wrist, using her strength to pull Lena into her. “One quick kiss,” she whispered, smiling as Lena raised a brow. “Okay, a long kiss,” she admitted.

“One,” Lena relented, brushing Kara’s nose with hers.

Kara sighed when their lips met. She was never going to tire of kissing her girlfriend. Her hands rested on Lena’s elbows while Lena cupped her cheeks. She wouldn’t mind spending the whole break kissing, but she was hungry, and she knew Lena needed to feed.

Lena’s tongue caressed Kara’s lips as their kiss slowly but surely progressed into something deeper. She was the first to break away, forehead resting against Kara’s.

“Oh, Lena,” Kara breathed out. She brought her arms up around Lena’s neck. “One more?”

“You’re killing me,” Lena whispered, pressing her lips to Kara’s once more.

Kara cherished every second of their kiss. When she unpacked her lunch, she sat down right next to Lena, arms brushing. Lena gave her a curious look, but she didn’t say anything about it.

“You seem to have made a new friend.”

“Yes, Emily. I take it you noticed she’s a vampire,” Kara replied, opening her can of lemonade. She smiled as Lena wrinkled her nose like she always did. “She’s kind. She gave me a bunch of notes to help me study for my finals.”

Lena slowly drank from her thermos.

“You don’t have to worry,” Kara spoke up, unsure what Lena thought. “I don’t think she’s here to hurt anyone.”

Kara shifted on her seat. She considered bringing up Reign, but Reign mentioned she didn’t want to put Lena in danger. To her, the fact Lena saved Reign a decade ago and kept her safe was proof Lena was good long before they met. She thought about the other things Reign said, how Lena was a descendant of the devil. It didn’t seem plausible, not that being a part of the devil’s family tree automatically equaled evil.

“Lena,” Kara said, chewing her lip while her curiosity to know more about Lena increased. “If you could choose to be human, a witch, some type of alien or well, anything really, what would you choose?”

“While I didn’t always appreciate my new reality, being a vampire grew on me. Given a chance, I wouldn’t choose something else. There are downsides as much as there are positive sides,” Lena answered, scratching her nails at her chest. “I died years before someone bit me. In here,” she whispered, tapping her heart.

Kara didn’t press on when Lena didn’t elaborate. Instead, she held Lena’s hand, caressing her thumb across her knuckles repeatedly. Lena had a painful past, and she hoped she could contribute to giving her a better future.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena lifted her hood and let it fall to her shoulders. It was midnight, precisely as requested. Each member of Carpe Noctem sat in their respective seats, with Brainy standing loyally by Lexa’s side at the front of the room.

Lexa pointed at an empty chair next to Octavia. “Be seated,” she told Lena, her tone indicating it was a command rather than an offer.

Lena wondered if Emily mentioned to Lexa how roughly she handled her when she accused Emily of stealing. There were hushed whispers, though each of them was utterly irrelevant, such as tomorrow’s weather.

“A rumor reached our ears,” Lexa announced.

Lena listened while Lexa relayed the rumor she had Livewire spread. She had to hand it to Livewire; she was worth the money she paid her. As Lexa shared the story, the details were there. There was no alternation, though they boasted it. While she intended making it seem Reign could be an asset to Carpe Noctem instead of a threat, the rumor now implied Reign was a hero, greater than Superman.

It surprised her they requested her presence for this meeting. Lena did not think of being included in a conversation about Reign. After all, she was not a member of Carpe Noctem; she merely aided them when they took down Sanguis Praedonum. Her decision not to join them remained valid.

“Two conflicting rumors,” Raven said. “One of those prophecies is a lie, but how can we be sure which?”

“According to my calculations,” Brainy said, “the likelihood of Reign being an issue is sixty-nine percent.”

Raven snorted, but she promptly quieted at Lexa’s unamused glare.

“We should find and eliminate her,” Octavia said. “Sixty-nine percent is too risky.”

“What of your calculations in the event Reign can strengthen us?” Lexa asked Brainy.

“Thirty-one percent,” Brainy answered, pressing the tips of his fingers together. “I must note the odds of Reign joining us are no higher than five percent.”

Lena hated how weak those odds were. She did not expect Reign ever to wish to join Carpe Noctem when they wanted her dead for a decade, but Reign was of no threat. During those ten years she hid Reign, she grew fond of her.

“I agree with Octavia,” Psi spoke up. “I’d like to add I find it suspicious this new rumor appeared out of thin air. How come we didn’t hear about it ten years ago?”

“Brainy’s calculations aren’t accurate science though,” Raven commented. “Sorry, but it’s true,” she said to Brainy. “We have zero evidence to back up we should eliminate Reign. All we have is that prophecy, claiming we need to kill her if we want to avoid her being our downfall.”

“Raven has a point,” Lena said, feeling all eyes on her. “Not once has Reign committed a crime to warrant her death. For all we know, she bakes cookies in her spare time, and grows vegetables.”

“If we kill Reign, we prevent the risk of her killing hundreds, if not thousands,” Octavia said. “What’s one more life?”

“You just answered your question, O,” Raven replied. “A life is still a life.”

“We could try our hand at establishing peace with her,” Lincoln said. “Reign has not been spotted in a decade. It’s peculiar why she has not attacked, considering the prophecy indicates she will.”

Lena tried to remain unbiased as the discussion went on, though the urge to defend Reign was strong.

“We shall vote,” Lexa announced abruptly. “Those in favor of sparing Reign, rise,” she said, aiming her stoic expression at Lena when Lena rose.

Lena glanced around the throne room. Three against three, which meant Lexa’s vote was final.

“Thou wish to spare her?” Lexa questioned Lena. “You never cease to surprise me.”

“I am tired of shedding blood where none needs spilling,” Lena replied, calm and neutral. “There is no tangible proof Reign is bound to be our downfall. I see no point in hunting down someone who hasn’t been a problem in a decade. If someone tried to murder me brutally, I would tear them to pieces. Reign could have taken revenge for what she went through, but she did not. I believe this is telling of the person Reign is. Therefore, yes, I vote to spare her.”

“What do you say, commander?” Raven asked. “Since you have the last vote and we’re divided, it looks like you get to choose whether Reign lives or dies.”

“Everyone out,” Lexa said as she held Lena’s gaze. “I wish to have a word in private with Lena,” she said, voice flat.

 


	24. Chapter 24

Alex pulled up outside of Lucy’s house. When her best friend texted her a quarter past midnight if she could give her a ride, she got out of bed, climbed out of the window, went to get her motorcycle and drove over as fast as she could.

The sight of Lucy sitting on the steps that led to the front door with a suitcase at her feet gutted Alex. She immediately knew this was bad. Something must have happened. She knew Lucy since forever. There was no way Lucy would pack up a suitcase on a whim.

“Luce?” Alex said, swinging her leg over her motorcycle, parking it. She walked up to her best friend and crouched down in front of her, heart aching at the tears which rolled down Lucy’s cheeks.

“H-hey,” Lucy whispered with a tremor in her voice. “There you are,” she said, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her leather jacket. “I was starting to wonder if you were going to stand me up.”

Alex glanced at the suitcase. She stumbled when Lucy flung her arms around her neck. Hugging from a crouched position wasn’t ideal, but she didn’t care she was on the ground now. All that mattered was Lucy.

Lucy cried onto Alex’s shoulder until her tears turned into sniffles. “I fought with my dad,” she explained, clasping her suitcase in her hand. “It was bad, and well, I’m eighteen. I’m graduating soon. Not like he cares about what I do. I’m not staying here. This ain’t my home anymore.”

“I can talk to my parents,” Alex offered, sure they would help Lucy in a heartbeat.

Lucy shook her head. “Can you give me a ride to the apartment Sam arranged for Reign?”

Alex nodded. She got on her motorcycle with Lucy. Minutes went by as she drove towards Reign’s apartment while she wished there was more she could do. It sucked Lucy fought with her father. She knew Lucy’s father was a difficult man. During their ride, Lucy muttered, but she couldn’t make out what she was saying over the roar of the engine.

Lucy’s eyes were red-rimmed.

Reign immediately took notice when she let Lucy and Alex into her apartment. “Who did this you?” she asked, cradling Lucy’s face in her hands.

“It’s just allergies,” Lucy answered, dropping her suitcase. “I was wondering if I can crash here for a couple of days. Stay, I mean.”

“Yes, stay,” Reign replied, snaking her arms around Lucy’s waist. She dropped her arms when Lucy’s hissed.

“Sorry,” Lucy sighed. “My ribs are still a little sore from last time you hugged me,” she said, smiling. “You can kiss it better for me though,” she added, eyes widening when Reign tried to lift her shirt. “Not right now, Rey. Fuck, you take everything literally.”

Alex’s eyes flitted around the apartment. There wasn’t much inside of it, but it had all of the basics; a refrigerator and a table in the kitchen, a couch with a television in the living room, and two doors; one leading to the bathroom and the other to the bedroom.

“I ought to watch my mouth around you,” Lucy said to Reign, grinning, though it looked more forced than it did in the past.

“You can try,” Reign replied dryly. “I can watch your mouth for you,” she offered while she picked up Lucy’s suitcase.

The front door swung open. “I brought you Chinese, if you don’t like it, then that’s your problem,” Sam said while she walked in, her voice too soft for it to be malicious. “Alex, hey,” she uttered, blinking at Alex in surprise. “What are you doing here so late?”

Alex’s mouth was ajar. She couldn’t form a single coherent sentence, let alone a word while she stared at Sam, who looked different. Sam’s long locks were gone, her hair stopped at her chin and had a few lighter streaks in it. On the right side at the front, Sam’s hair was a few inches longer.

Sam chuckled as she passed on the takeout food to Reign. “I’ve wanted to cut my hair for a while now,” she said, running a hand through it, flooring Alex further.

“Look at you two,” Lucy commented while she glanced at Reign and Sam. “You still look like twins, but less like two drops of water.”

Sam’s eyes landed on the suitcase. “You’re moving in?”

“I missed having sleepovers with Rey,” Lucy answered, shrugging, smile thin.

Alex had no doubt Sam didn’t buy it, but she was relieved Sam didn’t interrogate Lucy about what was going on. “You look…,” she whispered, shaking her head, deciding she was better at showing it as she kissed Sam.

“Get a room,” Lucy commented, laughing.

Alex turned, smiled, and grabbed Sam’s hand. “Good idea,” she replied, pleased when Lucy was rendered speechless. “Text me, okay?”

“Yeah, all good,” Lucy nodded. “No worries. I think I’m in good hands.”

“No shenanigans,” Sam warned with a teasing smile.

“Pft,” Lucy scoffed, smiling back. “Speak for yourself.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Silence filled the throne room as Lena was left alone with Lexa. The commander’s face was a stoic mask. She needed Lexa’s vote to swing her way, to have Reign not only live but also be free.

“I knew of you before we met. When I was human, people in the village whispered your name. They spoke of the orphan girl who killed a man. You ended lives, both as a vampire and as a human. Why be lenient now?”

Lena tasted bile in the back of her throat. She did murder a man, when she was thirteen, to survive. “My father killed my mother because she was different. He failed to understand her. His actions were cold, heartless and unfair. I don’t want our people to slaughter Reign purely because we do not understand her,” she answered, balling her fists. “Can Reign end us? Possibly, but there is no saying she will. People fear what Reign was capable of before they took her powers, yet even now, you hold a vote, for a crime she may never commit.”

“You mixed your feelings into this matter,” Lexa replied, twirling her silver blade. “For old time’s sake, I wish to share my knowledge with you, after which I expect the truth in full,” she said while she tossed her knife to the floor. “Theft was mentioned to me. It appears you believe someone took something from you. Over the past weeks, you brought food into your house. Peculiar for a place with three vampires unless you add the fact Reign walked out of your mansion.”

Someone must have spied on Lena. “You knew,” she whispered, narrowing her eyes. “Was this meeting nothing but a charade?”

“Mind your tongue,” Lexa warned as she picked up her silver blade. “I admit it was a setup to test how far you were willing to go. You lied to us. I wanted to learn why you, of all people, would risk your life for Reign. Thousands died at your hands.”

“When I was human, people wanted me dead. They feared I might become a monster because my mother was a witch who practiced dark magic,” Lena shared, mindful of Lexa approaching her. “There was no proof I would use magic. A decade ago, I heard the prophecy. I learned vampires wanted to kill Reign to prevent the murderer she could turn out being. It struck a nerve. When I found Reign, she was an innocent soul, meeting a violent fate.”

A tear slid down Lena’s cheek. Silver burned her skin as Lexa used the tip of her blade to catch it.

“Reign became my family,” Lena continued while Lexa walked a circle around her. “When someone touches my family, they touch me. If you vote to kill Reign, you need to get through me first because I swear I will burn this place to the ground with you in it, before I let you lay a finger on my family, old friend.”

Lexa paused in front of Lena. She took off one of her gloves and ran her blade across her palm, grunting quietly as blood appeared.

Lena held out her hand before Lexa could grasp it with force, clenching her jaw at the pain as Lexa slid the knife over her palm.

Lexa grabbed Lena’s hand, mixing their blood. “If the prophecy proves true, I will find you and watch the light in your eyes fade as I end your existence, after which I will do the same to Reign, and Sam. I hope your faith is not ill-placed, old friend,” she said, letting go of Lena’s hand.

Lena hated Sam was dragged into this once more. Sam had nothing to do with this; she was innocent, which she always had been. “I understand,” she replied, unwilling to let it come that far.

“Cunning move on the false rumor, by the way, but how dense do you think I am? Veronica is not your spy. She’s mine,” Lexa said, tearing off a piece from her sleeve to clean the blood from her hand. “Reign may live.”

Lena was pleased to hear they were sparing Reign. It was good news, which alas she could not share with Reign so long as she had no idea where she was. “If you happen to see her, I would greatly appreciate it if you tell me.”

Lexa laughed, which was not the reaction Lena anticipated. “Shall I put her in a box, tie a ribbon around it, and deliver her on your doorstep?” she replied with a dark smile. “This is your last chance. Never betray me again, Lena. Talk to Sam. She holds the answers you seek. Oh, and if you ever aim to burn down my throne room, pick out nice candles, will you?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara struggled not to interfere when spears fired while she stood one step behind Lena. She would have done something if it hadn’t been for the fact Lena asked her to stay back until she cleared the entrance. The elevator went down quite deep, several stories if she had to take a guess. It was low enough to drown out sounds she heard before they came down here, though if she trained her ears, she could pick up on conversations, cars, and more.

“Door, open,” Lena commanded. She stuck out her arm when Kara took a step. “Not yet.”

Kara watched as liquid silver splashed onto the floor. “Rao, you weren’t kidding about having traps down here,” she said, glad she didn’t get splashed. Silver couldn’t harm her, but it could hurt Lena.

Once the silver shower stopped, Lena laced her fingers with Kara’s and led her inside of her lab.

“So this is where you do crazy science,” Kara commented, giggling while Lena confirmed with a hum.

Lena gave her a puzzled look, but she shook it off.

Kara observed all of the potions and serums. There were multiple of them in various colors. “It’s surprisingly warm down here. For some reason I thought it was going to be cold,” she noted.

“I didn’t want Reign to get sick,” Lena replied, glancing at the corner of her lab where the curtain was half-open, revealing a piece of the bed Reign used to sleep in. “I’m grateful Alex, and Lucy found Reign, and that they helped her.”

Kara was also glad her sister found Reign rather than someone with wrong intentions. The truth was out in the open now. Lena talked to Sam, who spoke to Alex, and when her sister brought it up to her, she had a conversation about it all with Lena. She was worried Lena was going to resent her because she didn’t tell her they had Reign, but that didn’t happen.

“You did it, you ensured Reign’s freedom,” Kara said, smiling softly as she entered Lena’s personal space. “No matter what anyone ever says or thinks about you, I see you, the real you,” she whispered, brushing Lena’s hair behind her ears. “You’re a good person. I love you, Lena Morningstar.”

Lena sighed. “Reign does not shut up if you give her food or a hug or whatever it was that made her share so much,” she replied with a dry chuckle. “I love you, Kara Zor-El.”

Kara beamed. Her heart skipped a beat, knowing Lena meant it as much as she did. “The things you did…,” she trailed off, thinking back to every good deed Lena was responsible for. Returning her necklace, reuniting Ayla with Imra, saving Sam, helping out when Alex was attacked, saving Reign…there was so much.

“You,” Kara whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to Lena’s lips. “Are,” she said, kissing her again. “My,” she continued, kissing her longer. “Hero,” she breathed out.

“I never considered myself such, but for you, I’ll be anything, darling.”

Kara smiled while she toyed with a lock of Lena’s hair. “All I ever need you to be is yourself. I love you because you care. I love you because your soul is beautiful. It won’t always be sunshine and rainbows. I know that. You are not an idea of love to me. I’m here for the good times and the bad, I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Lena closed her eyes when a tear slid down her cheek, and when she opened her eyes more tears pooled in them, threatening to spill down her cheeks.

“You’re worthy,” Kara whispered, wrapping her arms around Lena. “You are enough. You will always be enough. We fought together, we loved, and I think we make a pretty good team. You’re the pizza to my Joey.”

Lena’s eyebrows creased together. “I am what to whom now?”

Kara smiled from ear to ear. “We’ll watch Friends together, then you’ll know,” she answered, chuckling when Lena’s immediate response was to groan. “I know you’re not exactly into watching things, but you haven’t lived unless you watch all ten seasons at least two times.”

“Two times? Ten seasons? Are you trying to kill me?” Lena asked, smiling. “I will watch it once on one condition.”

Kara wanted to protest, but at least Lena wasn’t saying no. “What condition?” she asked, nuzzling her head in the crook of Lena’s neck when Lena hugged her tightly.

“Next month after you graduate when you take your summer vacation, I want to choose a location.”

Kara squealed. “Sorry, sorry,” she mumbled as Lena winced. “You’re saying you’re coming with me? Oh Rao, this is great!” she said, struggling to keep her volume down. “Well, technically, with us. Alex, Sam, Lucy, and Reign will be there, too.”

Kara asked Lena to join them on their summer vacation two weeks ago, to which Lena told her she would think about it. She might have tried to bribe her girlfriend with flowers, and a star she bought in her name. The vacation wasn’t exactly a road trip, but they were going to be on the road for a while, so it might as well have been. She asked Imra as well, but she declined because she mentioned she was going on a vacation with her parents and sister.

“I’ll convince Lucy and Alex to let you choose,” Kara said, sure she could bribe them into it with some chocolate. “Oh Rao, I’m so happy you’re going on a vacation with us!”

“You don’t say,” Lena replied, rubbing her ears. “It’s adorable you’re excited,” she whispered, kissing Kara’s cheek.

Kara stumbled into a table in her haste to latch her lips on to Lena’s. She knocked over one of the beakers and grimaced, but Lena didn’t even blink. More items wound up on the floor when Lena lifted her onto the table. She moaned into their kiss, hands finding purchase in her girlfriend’s hair.

“Wait,” Kara whimpered, to which Lena immediately stopped and backed away. “Which location do you have in mind?”

Lena shook her head, smiling as Kara pouted.

“Leeenaaa,” Kara whined, hopping off of the table. “Can you at least give me a hint?”

Kara pushed Lena’s hair aside and kissed her neck. “Please?” she whispered, kissing the shell of Lena’s ear.

After stumbling around, knocking into the table twice, they fell in bed together.

“This is not fair,” Lena said while Kara had her pinned beneath her. “Kara…”

Kara kissed Lena and bit her lip. “Do you want me to stop?”

“That depends on how far you plan to take this.”

Kara sat up, grasped the hem of her shirt, lifted it over her head and discarded it onto the floor. She saw Lena’s green eyes turning red and watched as her fangs appeared. The fact she made Lena thirsty brought a blush to her cheeks.

“Can I take off yours, too?” Kara asked, plucking at Lena’s shirt, smiling when Lena nodded. “Would it bother you if I rip it?”

“You’re killing me,” Lena whispered with a dazed smile on her face. “You can, but-”

Kara looked sheepishly as she ripped Lena’s shirt. “But?” she inquired, dropping the shreds of fabric to the floor.

Lena lifted a hand, cupping Kara’s jaw. “We’re keeping the rest of our clothes on, okay?”

Kara could live with that unless seeing Lena’s bra killed her first. Taking things slow was good. Kissing was enough, but she didn’t mind this bonus. 

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are mentions of abuse and neglect in this chapter. Read with caution if that's triggering for you.   
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The scent of chips was frustrating for Lena to pick up on, though the sound of chips crunching irritated her even more. Despite those minor annoyances, she was happy Reign appeared much lighter and less burdened. She sat on the couch next to Sam, Reign, and Lucy.

Since recently, Reign and Lucy moved into Lena’s mansion until they could find a decent apartment together. She did not approve of the small basic apartment where they lived before moving in with her. Reign was adamant she was not leaving without Lucy, not as much with words as by holding on to Lucy as if glued together.

Lena did not mind offering shelter to Lucy and considering the human girl was eighteen; Lucy was free to live where she wanted.

“I bet Julia is turning her closet upside down,” Sam said with a smile.

“It’s neat she found her soulmate,” Lucy said. “Emily’s really nice. I don’t know Julia that well yet, but she seems nice, too.”

When Lena allowed Reign and Lucy to move in, she did discuss it briefly with Sam and Julia, needing to ensure they would be okay. There were no biting incidents, which was good, though she could tell Reign was protective of Lucy.

Julia dashed into the living room. “What do you think?” she asked, spinning a slow circle to show off her white dress.

“Damn girl,” Lucy whistled.

“You look like an angel,” Reign told Julia.

Julia ducked her head while smiling.

“I agree with Reign,” Sam said, biting her lip, nodding. “You’re not off to elope, are you?”

“It does remind me of a wedding dress,” Lena agreed with Sam.

Julia chuckled. “No, no, Emily and I are taking our time,” she said reassuringly. “We have eternity, so there’s no rush.”

“An eternity of happiness,” Sam said with a bittersweet smile. “You deserve it, Jules.”

Lena squeezed Sam’s hand. She knew the hardships of being with someone who was not immortal, which Sam struggled with the most, considering humans had the shortest lifespan.

Julia shifted from one leg onto the other. She glanced at the time displayed on the clock on the wall.

Lena was endeared seeing how nervous Julia was for her date. It felt as if Julia was her child, going to prom for the first time. The fact Julia found her soulmate eased her guilt about how it was indirectly her fault Julia became a vampire. Sam was right; Julia deserved an eternity of happiness.

Emily arrived two minutes later to pick up Julia. “Milady,” she said, dipping her head, kissing the back of Julia’s hand. “Your elegance is dazzling.”

“Smooth,” Lucy said, grinning. “You look nice with your hair down, Em.”

Julia ran her hands through Emily’s long raven locks.

Emily held out her hand, palm upwards. “Shall we?”

“Bring her home before dawn,” Sam said to Emily, poking the tip of her tongue past her teeth.

“I don’t know about that,” Julia disagreed with Sam. “Eloping is looking tempting,” she said, chuckling when Emily’s mouth was ajar.

“Behave, children,” Lena teased.

“You are only four years my elder,” Emily pointed out to Lena. “Five-hundred fifty-three years if you count vampire years.”

“Whoa,” Lucy said, gaping at Emily. “You’re over a hundred years old? Holy shit.”

Sam shoved a handful of chips into Lucy’s mouth, which earned her a pointed look from Reign. “My hand slipped,” she said, laughing when Reign swatted at her arm.

Emily held open the door for Julia, and then they left.

Lena dragged her eyes away from the door. She knew Julia was in good hands, but seeing her go was not easy. Julia was her baby sister, even though technically, physically she was twenty-four, whereas Julia was twenty-five, and Sam was twenty-eight. Being the youngest looks-wise did not stop her from seeing herself as their big sister though.

Lucy combed her fingers through strands of Reign’s hair.

Lena smiled at how soft Lucy was with Reign. She knew Reign wanted a friend, but instead, Reign found much more. It was sweet Sam accepted Reign as her twin sister, which meant the world to Reign.

“I was thinking about a new haircut,” Reign said, smiling as she looked at Sam.

“Yes, you should do something about those split ends,” Sam replied. “Good idea.”

“You should go shopping with me. I feel bad you have nothing to wear.”

Sam guffawed. “My clothes look way better than yours. Unlike you, I don’t dress like a teenager.”

“Hey, fuck off, my clothes look good on Rey,” Lucy muttered.

“Being a vampire doesn’t mean you should dress in an ancient manner, sister,” Reign said, patting Sam’s shoulder.

Lena shook her head while Reign and Sam kept tossing playful insults back and forth. Those two were a handful. “Oh sweet silence, where did you go, my old love?” she whispered as she got up to pour herself a glass of wine mixed with blood.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Stars decorated the sky like pieces of art painted onto a midnight blue canvas, illuminated by the crescent moon. It was a warm Friday night in the middle of June.

Kara lied down in the middle of the woods, next to Lena, holdings hands. When Lena texted her if she wanted to meet up, she had climbed out of her bedroom window and flew down from the roof. She couldn’t sleep anyway.

“I can hear your heart beating,” Lena whispered. “Thump, thump, thump,” she said while she tapped the tip of her finger against her chest with each beat. “It’s one of my favorite sounds.”

Kara turned her head to the side, watching as Lena’s fingertip danced on her chest, imagining if Lena had a heartbeat, it would beat in sync with hers. “One of your favorite sounds?” she questioned, scooting closer towards Lena, close enough for their shoulders to touch.

Lena hummed. “I’m not sure I can pick one sound I’d call my favorite. Hence I have a few,” she answered, squeezing Kara’s hand, smiling when Kara pressed back.

“Which are?” Kara inquired. She pouted when all Lena did was smile. “You know I’m curious, don’t tease me.”

“That you are,” Lena agreed. “I love the sound of your voice. It’s adorable when you ramble. At times I can tell you think it’s annoying to people, but it’s never like that to me. I could listen to you gushing about something for hours. When you talk a lot, you tend to get excited or nervous, and you have this… this special smile and a light in your eyes as if talking energizes you.”

Kara’s lips slit into a smile. Sometimes with people when she rambled a lot, she felt the urge to apologize for talking a mile a minute, but with Lena, she didn’t get that feeling. Not everyone appreciated her waterfall of words. She believed Lena when she said she could listen to her speak for hours on end.

“I love the sound of your laugh,” Lena continued. She brought Kara’s hand up to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to it. “When you laugh, I feel warm inside, more than I have felt in centuries. The sound is soft, melodious and so perfectly you. Your eyes crinkle at the corners, your heart sounds different, and in those moments you look genuinely happy.”

Kara felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “Oh Rao,” she whispered. “I had no idea you observed me that much.”

“Look who’s talking,” Lena replied, to which Kara felt busted. “I love the sound of your breathing, how your breaths grow shallow when your pulse quickens, how it hitches when I kiss your cheek or when I’m close.”

“You have an unfair advantage,” Kara said, having less than that to go on when she was wrapped up in everything that was Lena.

“I love it when you sing. God, you’re so talented.”

“Sing…,” Kara whispered, frowning. “When did you… Oh Rao, do you spy on me when I’m in the shower? That’s naughty, Lena.”

Lena gasped. “I would never,” she replied, eyes widening.

“Mhmm, you’d never, but you happen to know I can sing while I only sing under the shower.”

“I must correct you, darling,” Lena disagreed, eyes filling with glee. “You sing when you study.”

“You better not tell me you stood underneath my window because if you did, you should have brought a boom box to play music to woo me,” Kara replied, smiling while Lena looked confused. She knew Lena didn’t get any of her movies and show references.

“Not your window, no, though I did thread closely to your garden,” Lena confessed. “Hearing you sing piqued my interest when I wanted to listen if you were truly studying or if you were drawing a series of hearts, again.”

Kara blushed. Rao, she got caught doodling hearts during class more than once. She had a feeling Lena very much enjoyed teasing her in any way she could.

“You draw better hearts than I do,” Lena whispered. “When I sketch hearts, they look crooked. Stick figures, on the other hand; I can do.”

“I’m not surprised,” Kara replied, untangling her hand from Lena’s. “As a vampire, you must be quite familiar with sticks,” she said, giggling when Lena tickled her. “No, no, noooo, wait, I’m ticklish!” she squealed, squirming in Lena’s arms.

“How unfortunate for you,” Lena said, peppering Kara’s cheeks with kisses.

They rolled around in the woods together, sharing kisses in between smiles and laughter. Kara’s heart felt full and warm, and she had no doubt she was never going to forget this night.

“Typical,” Lena whispered when Kara pinned her down. “You have an unfair advantage with your strength.”

“Well, at least I have that going for me,” Kara replied, glad Lena didn’t have all of the advantages.

“You have much more going for you, darling. Believe me.”

Kara ducked her head down, capturing Lena’s lips in a sweet kiss. Oh Rao, it was amazing she could kiss her, that she didn’t have to hold back the affection she felt for her soulmate.

Lena opened up beneath Kara, whimpering as their tongues met.

Kara was mindful not to let her hands wander too much, which happened unintentionally at times because she felt a strong desire to touch Lena, to be closer to her.

Seconds turned into minutes as they tasted each other’s lips. By the time they broke apart, they had sat down against a tree.

Kara nuzzled her back into Lena’s front, happy feeling Lena’s arms around her waist.

Lena brushed Kara’s hair aside and kissed her shoulder. “You asked me if I remembered my life as a human, once,” she whispered.

Kara hummed. “I did, and I remember you shut down rather fast,” she replied, chewing the inside of her cheek. Her hand came up to fidget with her glasses, only to realize she left them on her bedside table.

“When I was a little girl…,” Lena began, pausing to swallow. “I was shunned by people in my village. The black plague swept through the village, affecting the majority of our population. Some believed I was the cause. Suddenly, nobody was willing to offer me shelter or food. I had to steal to eat. When people saw me, they threw rocks at me. I spent most of my human years living in the woods. Whenever I was in the village, I sought the smallest crawling spaces to hide.”

Kara felt heartbroken people were so cruel towards Lena when she was just a little girl. It was disappointing how idiotic some were. Lena didn’t deserve to be shunned and have rocks thrown at her.

“People pushed me around, had me do chores for them,” Lena said with a barely detectable tremor in her voice. “Some of them were violent. They would hit me, or worse. When I was thirteen, I killed a man by setting him on fire. His life wasn’t the only one I took when I was human. When someone tried to murder me, I ended them before they had the chance. I fought to survive.”

Kara didn’t say a word, shocked Lena went through such an awful life as a human. She couldn’t imagine needing to kill people to survive. No child should go through such terrible things. She hated the fact Lena got hurt so much. It wasn’t fair.

“I didn’t have anyone to hold me, to tell me bedtime stories. Affection was quite strange to me,” Lena said, her voice breaking on a whisper. “Years, whenever someone reached out, I assumed it was to strike, to inflict pain rather than to caress or hug. I grew up believing nobody could ever love me. I felt I died inside long ago because I never truly felt alive.”

Tears escaped Kara, and she heard Lena was in tears, too. She grew up surrounded by warmth and love, to her it was hard to grasp Lena was on the opposite side of that. Maybe that was part of why they were soulmates. She had an overflowing amount of love to give, and she wanted to pour so much of that into Lena.

“When I found Reign, I felt her pain as if it was my own. What happened to her was not right. She craved affection the way I need blood to live. I knew I didn’t give her enough, I never could. When she hugged me, all I wanted was to push her away, to reject attachment. I was harsh towards Reign for the better half of the decade I kept her hidden. Sam was warm, also, but she didn’t wrap her arms around me out of nowhere. Sam gave me time to be the first to reach out.”

“Oh Rao,” Kara groaned. “I hugged you that time in the bathroom when you gave me my necklace after you found it,” she said, which was impulsive.

“It’s alright, Kara,” Lena whispered, threading her fingers through Kara’s hair. “You didn’t know, and everything is different with you. My past is what it is. I’m happy, I have a family, and I have you, my soulmate.”

“Thank you for sharing that with me, Lena. For trusting me. You deserve so much love. You’re strong, you’ve overcome so much. I understand you’re carrying a lot of baggage, but I don’t mind helping you with my super strength and super kisses.”

“Super kisses?” Lena chuckled. “Your lips do feel fantastic.”

Kara gazed up at the stars. “Do vampires have special wedding rituals?” she wondered aloud.

It was silent for a beat. Kara worried she spooked Lena by indirectly implying she wanted to marry her.

“Yes,” Lena answered after a drawn-out pause. “When vampires marry someone, they mix their blood in a cup and empty it together.”

Kara’s jaw dropped. She shifted until she was able to turn around and look at Lena. “You…blood…tha-that’s a jo-joke… right?” she asked, not amused when Lena laughed.

“Marriage is rare for my kind. It is sacred. We are old souls. We don’t believe in-”

“Divorce,” Kara filled in, smiling. “Kryptonians don’t believe in divorce either. Oh Rao, we were born for each other.”

“You’re completing my sentences now?” Lena replied, leaning in, pushing Kara down in a pile of leaves. “We do have a ritual,” she said, kissing Kara’s neck. “When vampires marry, we do so at night. The loyalty we vow is punishable by death if broken.”

“Peachy,” Kara whispered, gulping, even though she would never cheat on Lena, married or not. “Any more anecdotes you wish to share?”

“If I think of any, I’ll let you know.”

Kara sighed contently when Lena kissed her. “Mhmm,” she hummed while she slipped her hands under Lena’s shirt, to caress her back. “Kiss me again,” she whispered, smiling when Lena did. “Again.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex gaped at the hotel room. She thought her girlfriend was kidding when she said she arranged a room. It transpired after she mentioned how she wished they could have full privacy for once. Back at Sam’s place, people overheard them when they so much as kissed, which put a damper on things.

“The mattress is soft,” Sam said with a smile. “I know what this might look like, me, renting a hotel room for us, but I promise you I don’t expect anything to happen.”

“Well,” Alex replied, licking her lips. “Start expecting,” she said, pushing Sam against the door, crashing her lips against hers.

“Alex…,” Sam whispered, closing her eyes while Alex kissed and bit her neck.

Alex grabbed Sam’s hands, placing them on her hips as she started walking towards the bed. She tugged at Sam’s shirt, pleased when Sam received the message. “Fuck,” she groaned, staring as Sam got naked.

Sam caressed Alex’s cheeks. “What do you want, baby?”

“You, this, us,” Alex answered, letting her eyes roam down Sam’s body. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

Sam’s hands stilled. “Can I take off your clothes?” she asked, slowly dragging up Alex’s shirt, after Alex nodded. “Let me take care of you, okay?” she whispered, kissing Alex’s jaw. “I’ll stop when you need me to.”

Alex doubted she would need Sam to stop, but she nodded regardless. Once she was naked, she caught Sam doing a double take, which made her cheeks darken. She lied down while Sam crawled on top of her. Feeling Sam’s naked body on hers made her shudder.

Sam gave Alex a chaste kiss. “You okay?” she asked, searching Alex’s eyes.

“More than okay,” Alex answered, shivering a little due to how cold Sam felt, but the warmth of the room more than made up for that.

Sam kissed Alex’s neck, her shoulders, her chest, her stomach; lower and lower until she reached her feet, and then she kissed her way back up. She took her time, showing appreciation for every inch of Alex’s skin, avoiding kissing her between her legs, though she did kiss Alex’s breasts.

Alex’s eyes fluttered shut. Every press of Sam’s lips was cold at first but quickly warmed as it sent heat coursing through her body. There was a scrape of Sam’s teeth here and there, though Sam was careful and didn’t break any of her skin. She just about melted when Sam kissed her.

Sam swallowed a moan while her hand ventured down Alex’s body, stopping at Alex’s hipbone where she drew random patterns with the tip of her finger.

Alex whimpered. Nobody had ever touched her the way Sam did. She grasped the sheets while Sam slowly brought her closer to pure bliss. The sensation of Sam’s mouth between her legs had her gasping. She writhed as an intense feeling built inside of her.

“S-Sam,” Alex choked out, moaning while Sam slipped in her fingers, curling them just _so_.

“You can let go, baby,” Sam said, kissing Alex’s thighs. “I got you.”

Alex keened as she came, body covered in a sheen of sweat. “Oh my god…,” she breathed out, chest heaving. “That was… wow,” she said, blissfully smiling while she pulled Sam closer, sharing a kiss with her.

Alex rolled Sam over and straddled her hips. “Can… can I try that on you?” she asked, running a hand through her hair. “I might need some guidance,” she admitted. “But I want to make you feel as good as you made me feel.”

 


	26. Chapter 26

An opened suitcase was on Lena’s bed, half-filled with clothes for her summer vacation. Tomorrow, school officially came to an end, and the day after that her trip with Kara, Sam, Alex, Reign, and Lucy commenced.

“You have to pack more than lollipops, Rey,” Lucy said as she walked through the hall, past Lena’s room. “I know you have no problems with being naked, but you can’t just go streaking. You should pack some clothes. Shoes and socks, too, by the way.”

“If you packed less lingerie I could put some of my lollipops in your suitcase,” Reign countered.

“I thought you liked my lingerie.”

“I do,” Reign replied. “But it will get ripped anyway.”

“Shut up you two,” Sam called out from downstairs. “You’re giving me a migraine, and tmi much?”

Lena shook her head while Lucy snickered. She agreed with Sam, that was more information than she needed to hear. What Reign and Lucy got up to in their free time was their business, one she did not need details of.

“We should let them move in with us; she said,” Sam muttered. “That apartment isn’t good enough, she said.”

“She can hear you; she replied,” Lena said, folding a bathing suit before tucking it away in her suitcase.

Lena was aware living with Reign, and Lucy was quite the adjustment. Their summer vacation was much needed, for all of them, to get away for a while. Future wise, the number of people living under her roof was bound to increase. Sam mentioned more than once Alex was going to move in after college officially. There was a possibility Emily intended to join them as well unless Emily roped Julia into entering her clan.

If Julia chose to move in with Emily, Lena would understand, though she would struggle with it. She felt a sense of responsibility towards Julia, Sam, and Reign, and could not envision either one of them ever leaving. Of course, Lena supported whichever decision they made, which was part of the reason why Lucy lived here. Reign said Lucy, and she was a package deal.

It was somewhat ironic how vampires tended to stick together in small to large groups. For centuries, Lena used to be the only vampire who lived alone on purpose. While people saw her kind as the one not good with relationships of any kind, they sucked at being by themselves. Ever since she got a taste of having someone else under her roof, she could not imagine ever living alone again.

“Whose boring car is parked outside?” Lucy asked.

Lena wandered into the hall. Reign’s bedroom door was wide open, so she walked in, raising a brow at the way Lucy leaned over the edge of the opened window. One push could solve at least one of her problems, though admittedly it would create a new one entirely, considering Reign would not appreciate such an action one bit.

“That boring car happens to be the family car I bought for our vacation,” Lena informed Lucy. “The trunk is quite lovely. Would you like to have an up-close look at it?”

Lucy lost her balance when she tried to turn around. Before Lena could catch her, Reign grabbed Lucy by her ankle.

“Thanks, Rey,” Lucy said, wriggling. “Do you reckon you can put me down?” she asked, dangling upside down, fingertips not even close to touching the floor.

“I’d drop her on her head,” Sam suggested as she walked in. “It might help.”

“I’m your soulmate’s best friend, you know,” Lucy huffed.

“Don’t remind me,” Sam mumbled, rubbing at her temples. “I’d ask for an aspirin, but it’s easier if we remove Lucy instead.”

Reign flipped Lucy upside down, slowly lowering her until her feet touched the floor. “My tiny human,” she whispered, kissing Lucy’s cheek.

Lucy’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out, opened up a text she received and sighed. “Asshole,” she grumbled, throwing her phone onto the bed. “I’m doing great, by the way,” she muttered under her breath. “Thanks for not asking. Father of the year.”

Sam put her hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “What happened?” she asked, sitting down on Reign’s bed with Lucy while Reign sat down on Lucy’s other side.

Lena crouched down in front of Lucy. “You can talk to us,” she said, grasping Lucy’s hands.

Lucy took a deep breath, shoulders sagging. “There’s some of my stuff still in my old room. He texted me if I don’t pick it up by tomorrow he’s tossing it all away. Like I care,” she muttered.

Lena held on to Lucy’s hands while Sam and Reign caressed Lucy’s cheeks to wipe the tears streaming down them. She knew Lucy often tried not to cry. At times, when Reign was not around to get lollipops or something else, she heard Lucy weep silently.

“We fought because I’m bi,” Lucy whispered. “That’s why I had to leave. He saw pictures on my phone of Rey and me, and his reaction made me angry. He said I should ignore the gay part of myself and date guys.”

“Your father should not cast you out because he fails to understand you,” Lena said. “He made a terrible mistake, and now he’s missing out on a wonderful child. You’re smart, Lucy.”

“You’re brave,” Sam added.

“You’re loved,” Reign chimed in, combing her fingers through Lucy’s hair. “You’re funny, beautiful, and strong.”

“You will have a home here with us, always,” Lena promised Lucy. “For as long as you want it, and since we are immortal, you know I do not say this lightly. You don’t have to be anyone other than yourself, not here.”

“Yeah?” Lucy sniffled with a thin smile. “Y’all might get annoyed with me though.”

“Someone has to keep us on our toes,” Sam replied, nudging Lucy’s side, smiling at her.

“I feel like we should do a group hug,” Lucy said, chuckling at Reign’s immediate, “yes.”

Lena contained the urge to roll her eyes at how mushy all of this was. “Bring it in,” she said, opening her arms wide to hug all three of them.

“There’s some of my stuff I’d like to look through, but I don’t want to set foot in there ever again,” Lucy said, wringing her hands together. “I have tattoo designs and stuff, and a shoebox with things I didn’t get the chance to pack.”

“How about I go get it for you?” Lena offered.

“Gah, I don’t know,” Lucy replied, scratching the back of her neck. “I suppose it’s fine if you promise you won’t kill my father. He may be an asshole, but I don’t want him dead.”

“I won’t even interact with him,” Lena assured Lucy.

Four hours later, when it was pitch-black outside, Lena walked through the woods with a large box in her hands, filled with items which belonged to Lucy. It was easy to get on top of the roof, break the window of Lucy’s old bedroom, and gather the last of her things.

Electricity flowed past Lena, and then Livewire appeared two steps in front of Lena.

Lena put the box down for a moment. “Is it done?”

Livewire grinned from ear to ear. “General Lane had the most shocking shower of his life. He squealed like a pig, good times,” she answered, leaning against a tree. “Oh and, I fried his computer, wiped his system. Consider that one a free bonus.”

“Excellent,” Lena replied, retrieving an envelope to hand over the other half of the ten thousand dollars she promised Livewire.

“Nah,” Livewire said, shaking her head. “Keep it. I fucking hate that guy. He used to do some illegal shit, experimenting on metahumans and aliens, but they shut down the program. Took them long enough.”

Lena arched a brow. “Oh?” she inquired as she picked up the box to resume her walk. “Say, I was about to have a glass of wine, you’re welcome to share one with me, without blood, of course.”

“Yeah, no way. Hard pass,” Livewire scoffed. “I’m not going to set foot in the lion’s den.”

“I merely wish to talk. There is no need to be frightened. No harm will come to you. I may need you for more small jobs in the future.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara smiled while she stood on the stage. She was thrilled she officially graduated high school today, and tomorrow she was going on a vacation, though Lena hadn’t told her yet which location she had chosen. Her soulmate wasn’t kidding about not even giving her a hint. Lucy did tell her Lena bought a family car, not that it gave her clarity.

With six people going on a vacation together, they needed the space. Kara felt slightly bummed Imra wasn’t joining them, and she found it unfortunate Emily declined as well, but she understood they both made different plans. At least she had her sister, Lucy, and her girlfriend.

Kara almost squealed when she thought of how the vacation they set out was meant to last a month, thirty days of spending quality time with her soulmate. She was happy her connection with her sister got stronger, how much they shared with each other now. Meanwhile, her adoptive parents believed they were going on a road trip.

“We did it,” Imra said, smiling as she hugged Kara, and then Alex, and Lucy. To Emily, she squeezed her upper arm.

“We sure did,” Alex said. “Next stop, college, but first our summer vacation.”

“Hell yeah,” Lucy grinned. “I put together a playlist, it’s got some good classics.”

“Good luck convincing Lena to let you play it,” Emily whispered.

“I’ll convince her,” Kara said, sure Lena wouldn’t say no if she asked nicely.

“Be good to Julia,” Alex said to Emily. “She’s a soft soul.”

“Oh please,” Lucy cut in. “You should hear some of the stuff Em recited to Jules. It’s hella mushy.”

“I love Julia with every split second of my existence. Her lips are a soft pillow, where I wish to rest mine. Her eyes are-”

“Here we go again,” Lucy muttered. 

Kara chuckled, thinking it was sweet Emily carried Julia with her in her heart. She didn’t mind Emily gushing.

Loud applause cut through the murmurs of the crowd as the principal congratulated the students for graduating high school.

“I’m so proud of you, both of you,” Eliza said while she approached, hugging Alex and Kara.

“Well done, girls,” Jeremiah said, joining their hug.

“Thanks, mom,” Alex sighed. “Thanks, dad.”

Kara caught Lena’s eye. She smiled seeing her girlfriend smile at her. During her senior year, her life changed a lot. She learned vampires exist, and that they have soulmates, and she got lucky enough to have a soulmate. Meeting Lena was quite the rollercoaster, but it was worth it.

“Congratulations, monkey,” Ayla said to Imra.

Imra groaned while Lucy snickered. “Don’t call me that in front of my friends,” she replied, sighing deeply, though she was smiling. “I used to cling to my sister a lot when I was younger,” she explained to her friends.

“It’s cute,” Lucy said, shrugging a shoulder.

Kara saw Lucy searched the crowd. She felt sorry for her friend her father didn’t show up.

Lucy’s eyes glazed over, but then her lips parted in a quiet _‘oh.’_ “I didn’t know you were here,” she said when Reign scooped her up in a hug, smiling. “What did you think?”

“Spectacular, incredible, show-stopping,” Reign whispered, kissing Lucy’s cheeks again, and again. “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything in the world.” 

Lucy grinned. “You watch too much tv.”

Julia approached as well. She pecked Emily’s cheek before turning to Lucy. “Good job, Luce,” she said, lightly patting Lucy’s shoulder, barely touching her.

“Thanks, you guys,” Lucy said, lighting up entirely as she wound her arms around Reign and Julia.

Kara noticed her adoptive parents frowned, probably wondering who Lucy interacted with, and why Lucy’s father wasn’t around. She shook her head at them, relieved when they didn’t address Lucy to ask questions.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam emptied the cup Lena handed her, grimacing as she finished it. “You changed the flavor, but it still tastes horrible,” she said, scrunching up her nose.

“I’m working on it,” Lena replied, though she doubted the potion which protected them from the sun would ever taste even remotely okay. “Here,” she said, handing Sam a cup of blood to get rid of the icky flavor in her mouth.

Sam grabbed it with both hands, moaning while she drank it.

Lena went through her checklist to ensure she had everything. They were leaving, today. She put a map on top of the counter. Sam told her they could simply use the navigation system installed in the car, but she was old school and used to relying on things such as a compass, the stars, and a map.

Sam placed a suitcase with a red ribbon around it on the table. “I hope this will be enough blood for both of us to last us a month,” she said, zipping it open to show Lena the thermoses.

Lena glanced at the suitcase. “Yes, that will do,” she whispered, gathering her credit cards and cash from her vault, which she kept hidden behind a painting in her living room. “I know a place where we can replenish our supply if necessary. You need not worry.”

Sam frowned when Lena handed her a thick wad of bills and a credit card. “Hey, this card has my name on it,” she noted.

“Because it’s yours,” Lena pointed out. “I have several credit cards, each with a different name. The longer you live, the more you learn to take on new identities and divide your money to avoid drawing attention. You’ve only been a vampire for a decade. You still get away with being Sam Arias. You’ll always be Sam, but one day we’ll have to arrange you a false identity. The same goes for Reign, considering thanks to you, she appears immortal.”

“I will not change my name,” Reign muttered while she walked in, carrying three suitcases.

“Why do you have so many suitcases?” Sam asked, crossing her arms. “We’re not going on vacation with a bus, you know.”

“One of these is mine, the other is Lucy’s, and the last is special.”

“You cannot take an entire suitcase of lollipops on this vacation, Reign,” Lena said with a shake of her head.

Reign narrowed her eyes. “Watch me,” she replied, promptly walking out the door to go put the suitcases in the trunk of the car.

Lena mouthed expletives while she made gestures with her hands as if she was going to strangle someone. Perhaps she should have bought a bus rather than a family car.

“You just had to save her life,” Sam whispered to Lena, rolling her eyes. “Now we’re stuck with her.”

“That is mean,” Reign called out from outside.

“Deal with it, eavesdropper.”

“It’s not eavesdropping when someone has super hearing,” Lucy pointed out in Reign’s defense.

Lena raised a brow at the top Lucy had on. It did not even cover her stomach. “No,” she said, firmly shaking her head. “Go get dressed.”

“I am dressed, stop being such a mom,” Lucy huffed. “Are we going to take turns driving? How long are we going to be on the road anyway?”

“Twelve hours,” Lena answered. “And yes, we are taking turns. And no, that does not include you.”

“Hey, I can drive,” Lucy objected. “I’m good at it.”

“The one time I saw you drive, you mowed over someone’s garden gnomes.”

“Um, that was on purpose. I was doing those people a favor.”

Lena shook her head. On purpose or nothing more than an accident; she was not risking Lucy driving into something, or worse, someone.

“It’s not going to happen, kiddo,” Sam said to Lucy, ruffling a hand through her hair. “Lena and I will be taking turns driving.”

“Stop messing with my hair,” Lucy muttered, swatting at Sam’s hands.

Lena sighed when Reign got involved, which led to Sam and Reign bickering. “I should have left you both to die,” she said, picking up her suitcases. “This vacation will be fun.”

“I know right??” Kara said, smiling as she ran towards Lena. She laughed when she tackled Lena onto the grass.

“Oh, you’re here,” Lena noted, seeing from the corner of her eyes Alex had arrived also.

Kara pouted. “You don’t sound very excited.”

“Next year, we should go on a vacation without the others.”

Kara smiled brightly. “Deal,” she whispered, ducking her head down to kiss Lena. “Are you finally going to tell me where we’re going?” she asked while she got up, pulling Lena along with her.

Lena blinked at the four suitcases Kara and Alex brought with them. She should have bought a damn bus. Six people in a family car with a bunch of luggage was not ideal. “We’re going to Miami,” she revealed. “Hotel arrangements have been made.”

“Yasss, bitches!” Lucy said, slipping her sunglasses on. “The sun, the beach, nightclubs… Sweet choice,” she grinned, rubbing her hands together. “Hey, Rey,” she called out over her shoulder. “Do you know how to dance?”

“Maybe yes, maybe no.”

 


	27. Chapter 27

Kara sat on the passenger’s seat, next to Lena, mouth covered by her hand in an attempt not to burst out laughing, seeing how Lena’s eyes were round while music filled the car. She never saw Lena so horrified, and she knew this wasn’t even remotely funny to her girlfriend, but it was to her.

Lucy played air guitar, seated in the middle of the car next to Reign because Alex and Sam claimed the seats in the back, despite her trying to get there first. She had managed to convince Reign to play air drums.

“Don’t need reason, don’t need rhyme,” Alex sang at the top of her lungs, being the one who suggested the song.

“Ain’t nothing I would rather do going down,” Lucy sang, winking at Reign. “Party time.”

“My friends are gonna be there too,” Kara joined in.

Lena’s grip on the wheel tightened, her knuckles whiter than before, if that was possible for a vampire.

“I’m on the highway to hell,” Alex and Lucy sang in sync.

“Don’t I know it,” Lena whispered, eyes on the road.

Kara couldn’t hold her laugh back, then. She knew Alex and Lucy had a special taste in music, which wasn’t appreciated by everyone, but this song was good, and rock & roll wasn’t bad. At least there was no metal music blasting, so she considered that an improvement.

“I think I need another vacation after this vacation,” Sam said, rubbing her ears.

“Maybe we should lower the volume,” Alex suggested, worriedly looking Sam over.

“You think so?” Lucy asked, running a hand through her hair. “It’s not that loud. I’d normally turn it all the way up, like way-way up.”

“It’s endurable,” Reign said.

“Liar,” Sam said to Reign, kicking the back of her seat. “You only say that because you’ll agree to whatever Lucy wants. You’re whipped.”

“Okay, children, that’s enough,” Lena warned. “Behave, or I will abandon you on the side of the road.”

Kara rapped her fingertips on the dashboard when the next song came on. The sun was shining, they drove for an hour without any incidents, the sky was blue, and the majority of her favorite people in the world were right here with her.

One rock song after another played, making Kara wonder if that was all Lucy had on her playlist. Not that she minded much, but she liked to mix it up a little with other genres. When a song she didn’t recognize came on, she resorted to humming.

“See, don’t ever set me free,” Lucy sang. “I always wanna be by your side,” she continued, in sync with the song, chuckling as Reign looped an arm around her.

“Mine,” Reign whispered, kissing the top of Lucy’s head.

Kara smiled at Reign still taking things literally, though she had a feeling Reign knew it was nothing more than lyrics of a song. She was happy Reign, and Lucy got along so well. Nobody was left out. Alex had Sam, Lucy had Reign, and she had Lena.

“Girl, you really got me now,” Alex sang, faltering as she drowned in Sam’s eyes.

Kara awkwardly averted her eyes. It wasn’t fair if they were all going to start making out because Lena was driving, which meant she couldn’t kiss her right now. She considered kissing Lena on the cheek, but she didn’t want to distract her.

“I added a new song to my list,” Lucy announced. “Check this one out. I think you know it, Al.”

Kara’s jaw dropped when she heard the song, and now she could relate to Lena’s mortification. She recognized it because Alex listened to it once, a couple of weeks ago, to which she suddenly felt the need to go for a walk.

“Tonight our bodies getting intertwined,” Lucy sang, followed by Alex singing, “It’s fucking filthy feeding off the blood inside.”

“Are you kidding me?” Lena hissed silently. “This is… is this porn?”

Sam muttered a series of ‘ _oh my god’_ while the song continued.

“I’m dominant by definition,” Lucy sang, huffing when Reign snorted.

Lena lost it at the part where the song mentioned something about someone being the singer’s slave. “I am not putting up with another second of this filth,” she said, shutting off the music.

“I’m with Lena on this one,” Kara agreed.

Lucy shrugged, grabbed her earbuds, played the song on her phone, and gave one of her earbuds to Reign.

Kara still heard the song, though only if she used her super hearing. She thanked Rao when Lena stopped the car for a break after driving for three hours, feeling so hungry she could eat six pizzas and then some.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena folded the map, tucking it away in the dashboard. They were almost halfway by now, but she made another pit stop, the last one before she intended to let Sam drive to the hotel she arranged for tonight.

“It’s not dinner time yet,” Lucy said, hopping out of the car. “Why are we stopping?”

“You’ll see,” Lena answered, locking the car once everyone got out.

Kara took Lena’s hand in hers, smiling as they walked side by side. The curiosity in her blue eyes was palpable.

Lena smiled back at Kara and winked, knowing she now increased Kara’s curiosity. She said nothing as she led their small group towards a grassy area next to the parking spot.

Kara gaped when a large banner swam into view.

There was a makeshift stage with a large table. Folding chairs were dotted around for visitors to sit.

“Pie eating contest,” Alex read.

Kara snapped out of her surprised state and squealed. “I’ve always wanted to go to one of these since the day I heard these contests exist!” she shouted, squeezing Lena’s hand tightly. “Oh Rao, how did you know?” she asked, turning her face to look at Lena.

“You love food, I took an educated guess,” Lena answered, happy seeing Kara in such a joyful manner. “Go on, darling,” she whispered, nodding her head towards the stage.

Kara flung her arms around Lena’s neck. “You’re the best,” she said, kissing her.

“Damn,” Lucy said, glancing around. “I’d sign up, but I’d get sick, and Kara would eat me under the table.”

“I want to participate,” Reign said, pausing as she eyed Lucy.

Lena’s eyes fell, sensing how Reign appeared to await Lucy’s permission. She felt responsible for shaping Reign into someone obedient. It did not always show, but right here right now it was as clear as day. She had not intended to groom Reign. The fact she used to call Reign her pet was beyond wrong, regardless of the fact its meaning was more affectionate than she led on. She saved Reign’s life, but that did not excuse her mistakes.

Lucy smiled at Reign. “I’m going to take pictures when you get pie all over your clothes,” she said, whipping out her phone.

Reign lifted Lucy’s chin, ducking her head down to kiss her.

When the competition started, Kara and Reign participated. The other contestants never stood a chance.

Lena’s mouth was ajar as she watched her soulmate eat pie after pie. She could not imagine the taste of pie. In fact, even before she became a vampire, she never ate such things. Seeing Kara with a face full of the sweet treat distracted her from the unpleasant scent.

“Thank you,” Alex whispered to Lena, smiling briefly. “For making my sister happy,” she elaborated when Lena tilted her head in confusion.

Lena shook it off. Nothing in the world was more important to her than her soulmate, and she was glad she could make Kara happy with such simple things as bringing her to a pie eating contest.

“Go, Rey!” Lucy shouted, clapping her hands together. “That’s my girl!”

Pieces of pie escaped the corners of Reign’s mouth when she smiled while Lucy snapped a picture.

“New background pic,” Lucy mumbled. “Check.”

“My sister looks ridiculous,” Sam said with a smile.

“Mhmm,” Alex hummed, winding her arms around Sam’s waist. “Our sisters are both dorks.”

Little by little, the other contestants gave up while Reign and Kara kept going.

Lena raised a brow when Reign abruptly stopped, certain Reign was capable of eating more than she did. She had a feeling Reign forfeited to leave the victory to Kara. It was unsure which one of them could truly eat the most, though her guess was Kara.

Kara finished off her last pie while they declared her the winner. She glanced at what the other contestants did not eat, licking her lips. “If you’re not going to eat that, can I have it?” she asked, already eating it up with her eyes.

Lena bit back a laugh. Leave it to her soulmate to have a large enough appetite not even an eating contest could cater to it. She hurried towards the stage and wrapped her fingers around Kara’s wrist. “She has a medical condition,” she said to the bystanders with an apologetic smile.

Kara pouted. Before they left the stage, she got her hands on another pie.

Lena realized she should have thought this through more. She could not have people questioning how Kara was capable of eating the other contestants under the table yet still ask for more pies. “You did it,” she whispered, giving Kara a chaste kiss.

“Good job, Rey,” Lucy said, pulling Reign into a hug, lifting her head, smiling up at her.

Reign dipped her head down, getting pieces of pie on Lucy’s face. “I got second place,” she replied, though she did not sound the least bit disappointed about that.

“Yeah well, you’re always going to be my number one,” Lucy grinned. “You’re my champion, Rey.”

“Get a room you two,” Sam commented when Lucy and Reign got lost in a kiss.

Lena fished her keys out of her pocket. “You’re driving to the hotel,” she said, tossing the keys to Sam.

Kara leaned in for a kiss, giggling when Lena wrinkled her nose. “Okay, I’ll kiss you later,” she sighed. “I know food smells and tastes disgusting for you.”

“Food does, but you never do,” Lena whispered, indulging in a kiss.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara had never shared a bed with Lena before. Was she excited? Rao, yes. Was she going to combust? Also yes. At first, she prepared for the possibility Lena made different arrangements. She was thrilled when three keys were handed over; one for Alex and Sam, one for Reign and Lucy, and one for Lena and her.

Kara checked her pajama in the mirror. She settled for shorts with tiny pizzas on them and a loose blue shirt. Lena never slept, she knew that, but she hoped they could cuddle. With one last glance, she dashed into the bedroom.

Kara slid under the covers and scooted closer towards Lena, who was on her side, with her back towards her. “Hey,” she whispered, reaching out to touch Lena’s shoulder. “It’s me.”

“You don’t say,” Lena replied, the smile in her voice sounded through. “I’d have never figured that out,” she said as she slowly turned around to face Kara.

Kara’s eyes automatically raked down Lena’s body, admiring the silk nightdress she had on. There was a fair amount of cleavage on display, which made her mouth run dry. The black of the gown was in beautiful contrast with Lena’s pale skin. She was able to make out the shape of Lena’s boobs.

Lena chuckled. “My eyes are up here, Kara,” she said, placing a finger under Kara’s chin, lifting her head up.

“You’re so gorgeous,” Kara whimpered, shifting closer. She angled her head, melting as Lena’s lips met hers.

Lena nipped at Kara’s lower lip, not resisting when Kara pushed her down. Her raven locks fanned out around the pillow.

Kara shuddered when she felt Lena’s cold hands disappear under her shirt, up her bare back, resting beneath her shoulder blades. “How do you have so much self-control?” she asked, biting back a groan, resisting the desire to let her hands wander.

Lena smiled up at Kara, thumbs rubbing circles on Kara’s back. “I never quite desired intimacy,” she said, smile stretching further when a flash of horror crossed Kara’s face.

Kara swallowed thickly, feeling worried she went too far, and not only tonight. She should have paid more attention to what Lena was and wasn’t comfortable with. “Lena…,” she whispered, ready to tell her kissing or even kisses on the cheek were enough, but Lena resting a finger against her lips halted her.

“I’ve been intimate with people, but I always felt cold,” Lena went on. “The majority of vampires care little for intimacy of any kind. We don’t do handshakes or hugs. We clasp arms. There are exceptions, of course, and it also depends on the people a vampire interacts with. We’ve been building a meaningful connection, which I want to keep nourishing. I can keep myself in check because I don’t want to ravish you. I want to make you fall apart slowly, piece by piece.”

Kara’s pulse quickened. “Oh Rao,” she whispered, shuddering at the thought of coming undone. “I’m definitely awake now,” she chuckled, cheeks darkening when Lena bit her lip. “Not… not like that!” she added, eyes widening when it sunk in what that sounded like.

“If you say so, darling,” Lena replied, eyes twinkling in delight.

Kara’s eyes roamed down Lena’s nightdress once more. “Is that what you wear when you lay down in your bed? I know you don’t sleep, but I know you like to relax in bed sometimes.”

“I don’t own pajamas. I bought this for this vacation,” Lena answered, caressing her hand up and down Kara’s arm. “Oftentimes when I lay down, I do so naked.”

Kara wished she hadn’t asked. Now she couldn’t stop thinking about Lena getting naked. Her heart beat loud and fast when Lena splayed her hand on her stomach. “Are you, ah, wearing anything, erm, underneath that dress?” she asked, fingertips touching Lena’s collarbone.

“Only underwear,” Lena answered, grabbing Kara’s hand. “It’s okay.”

Kara forgot how to breathe when her hand touched Lena’s breast, albeit the flimsy silk nightdress was in the way. “Would you mind if I, um…,” she trailed off, averting her eyes, cheeks heating up.

“Cop a feel?” Lena filled in, smiling. “You can.”

Kara blinked her eyes in surprise. She lied down sideways, facing Lena, and cupped a hand behind her neck, drawing Lena into a kiss while her other hand disappeared under the silk dress. Her hand inched up, and when she palmed Lena’s breast, she gasped into their kiss.

Lena kissed Kara back, picking up the pace, nibbling at Kara’s lip, harder than before.

Kara moaned as their kiss grew hungrier. She rolled Lena’s nipple between her fingertips, biting Lena’s lip when she felt her hand on her side, close to her ribs. “Yes,” she whispered in the second their kiss broke.

Lena gazed into Kara’s eyes. She pressed a chaste kiss to her lips while her hand ventured higher. “Are you sure this is okay?” she asked, stopping at Kara’s ribs.

Kara’s shirt didn’t survive when she ripped it, smiling at the surprise in Lena’s eyes, who hadn’t seen it coming. “Very sure,” she assured her, not minding the extra bit of exposure. “Wait, are you okay with this?”

Lena’s answer was a kiss, and then they got lost in each other’s arms, kissing as if their lives depended on it.

Kara licked into Lena’s mouth, feeling her fangs. She let out a small whine when Lena pushed her away, only to smile as Lena started pressing fluttering kisses to her neck. Lena’s body felt like a veil of ice covering her, but as a Kryptonian, she could endure Lena’s cold skin.

Lena bit Kara’s neck. It didn’t break any skin, but it did make Kara gasp. “A lover who can’t be marked,” she whispered, hand wrapping around Kara’s throat.

Kara covered Lena’s hand with hers. “I can’t be marked, but I can be choked,” she said, though Lena wasn’t squeezing.

Lena’s lips rained over Kara’s chest, like droplets of water. Her hands were slow and precise, cupping Kara’s breasts with just the right amount of pressure. She kissed the shell of Kara’s ear, whispering words of love.

Minutes later, if not an hour because Kara lost track of time, she had her head on Lena’s chest while Lena combed her fingers through her hair, the gesture like a gentle caress.

“This feels nice,” Kara breathed out, feeling fully at ease. “Can you do that all night?”

Lena hummed, kissed Kara’s temple, and continued threading her fingers through Kara’s hair.

Kara drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face, knowing she was right where she wanted to be.

 


	28. Chapter 28

One wave overlapped with another. Hues of the sun melted into the ocean like a brilliant painting. The sky was a soft blue. Kara curled her toes in the sand as she soaked it all in. Going to the beach was a wonderful idea.

Lena hid underneath a parasol on a towel, next to Sam.

Alex shivered as Sam rubbed sunscreen onto her back. “Once you’re done with that, I’ll do you.”

“I don’t need it.”

Kara hoped the potion Lena and Sam drank was enough to keep them safe. She knew her girlfriend ensured her it protected them from the sun, but this kind of exposure was nothing compared to the one back in Midvale.

Lena stared at Kara through her dark sunglasses when Kara lifted her shirt over her head, revealing a blue bikini.

Kara smiled and plopped down next to Lena. “I love how I get to do this,” she whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

“I’m surprised,” Sam spoke up, looking at Lena. “I thought you were the kind of person who hated public displays of affection.”

“Kara is special,” Lena replied, pulling Kara into her lap.

In the distance, near the water, Lucy squealed when Reign scooped her up.

“No, no, no!” Lucy shrieked, louder when Reign tossed her into the water. “I will get you, Rey!”

Reign laughed as she ran around on the beach with Lucy on her heels.

Kara shifted just enough to catch the soft expression on Lena’s face. She noticed Lena watched Reign with a fond look in her eyes.

When Reign’s laughter increased, Lena smiled.

That made Kara smile, too. She knew Lena cared about Reign, knew she wanted Reign to be happy.

“I’ll never understand that prophecy,” Sam whispered with a deep sigh while Lucy tackled Reign down in the sand.

“You and me both,” Alex chimed in. “She’s so… soft.”

Kara couldn’t make sense of it either. She believed none of them could. It was farfetched for anyone to think Reign could be a killer. Reign had her powers back, she was strong, but Reign was so very careful with her strength and everything else.

“I’m going to get some ice cream,” Kara decided, laughing when Reign’s head immediately whipped in her direction.

“Can you get me some?” Alex asked, rubbing lotion onto her arms. “You know my favorites.”

“Sure,” Kara answered, grabbing her wallet. “How do you want your ice cream?”

“Hmm, a cone. I like to lick it,” Alex said, winking at Sam, smiling when Sam kissed her neck.

“Oh Rao,” Kara muttered silently as she walked away. “I did so not need to know that, Alex!”

The sound of Alex’s laughter mixed with Sam’s followed Kara while she made her way towards the ice cream truck. By the time she got there, Reign had jogged up to her, carrying Lucy on her back.

Kara didn’t know whether to feel sorry for the nice guy arranging their insane amount of scoops or to feel happy his business was going so well. She liked to think she kept it modest. Two chocolate ice cream scoops on a cone for Alex, and six scoops for her in a cup with a scoop of vanilla, and extra sprinkles.

Lucy ordered two scoops of strawberry ice cream while Reign wanted a bit of each flavor.

“Damn,” Lucy whispered as the guy couldn’t fit all of Reign’s scoops into a cup, not even the largest family one. “Looks like I’ll have to walk myself back.”

“How tragic,” Reign replied. “You’d almost say you have two working legs.”

“Maybe I just enjoy riding you,” Lucy shot back, stealing a kiss on the cheek.

“You guysss,” Kara groaned. “First Alex, now you. This is rude.”

“You should get laid, it’ll help you relax,” Lucy suggested, laughing while Kara pouted. “Did you ever, you know, bow-chicka-bow-wow?”

A crinkle appeared between Kara’s eyebrows. “Is that supposed to mean some – oh… _Luce_ , that is not your business, I’m not telling you. You’re such a… a bench.”

Lucy snorted. “A bench, really?” she replied, planting her feet into the sand.

“People sit on benches,” Reign mused. “I have sat on Lucy’s-” The rest of her words muffled as Lucy cut her off with a kiss.

Kara was going to be so traumatized after this vacation. Lucy didn’t interrupt Reign soon enough. Oh Rao, why couldn’t she unlearn information? She huffed at the fact Sam, Alex, and Lena laughed about what just happened. Of course, those eavesdroppers told her sister, and now they were all quite humored.

“Are you okay, darling?” Lena asked, failing miserably to hide her amusement.

“Next year we’re going on a vacation alone,” Kara muttered.

Kara enjoyed her ice cream while Lena watched her. It was unfortunate she couldn’t share it with her girlfriend, but that didn’t make their relationship any less. She slowed down, licking her spoon deliberately for Lena to see.

Lena didn’t wrinkle her nose this time. Her eyes focused on Kara’s lips, following the movement of her tongue.

Kara’s ice cream started dripping. Some of it trickled down her fingers, not on purpose, though hearing Lena gulp as she licked her sticky fingers made her wish she had spilled some sooner.

“I’m going for a dive,” Alex said as soon as she finished her ice cream. “Are you coming with me?” she asked Sam.

“Mhmm, but wait a minute,” Sam answered, grabbing Alex’s wrist. “You got some chocolate on your cheek,” she whispered, licking her thumb, brushing Alex’s cheek. “There, that’s better.”

Alex launched forward, attaching her lips to Sam’s, but she backed away just as quickly. “Fuck, sorry,” she groaned. “That must taste awful for-”

Sam kissed Alex, nails scraping her scalp as their kiss deepened.

Kara was happy they were happy, but she didn’t need such a vivid image. “Swim with me?” she asked Lena, batting her eyelashes.

“The sun reflects on the water. My potions, while well-developed, are not flawless. I can swim with you, though not long. After an hour, my skin might redden. I’m more of a nightly swimmer.”

“Oh,” Kara whispered, frowning at how serious Lena sounded, leaving her to believe she wasn’t kidding.

Kara cradled Lena’s face in her hands. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked, looking her over. “When did you last drink a potion?”

“This morning. And I’m fine, darling,” Lena answered, placing her hands on Kara’s. “It wasn’t my intention to trouble your mind. Perhaps I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, no, I want you to tell me things like this. I’m going to worry sometimes, Lena. You can’t prevent that. I know you get concerned about me as well, depending on the situation. Your wellbeing is imperative to me. I’m glad you told me rather than you going in the water with me without saying anything, only to wind up with burn marks all over your skin. That’s what you meant with your skin getting red, right?”

A deep frown settled on Alex’s face when Lena nodded. “Is that true?” she asked Sam, her face a mixture of anger and concern when Sam confirmed going in the water for an hour or longer while the sun shone was dangerous for vampires, despite the potion.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Sam said, reaching for Alex’s hand, sighing when Alex brushed her hand away.

“Don’t baby me,” Alex muttered. “You could have gotten hurt and you didn’t say anything.”

Kara grimaced as Alex stomped off. “She’ll come around,” she assured Sam, not the least bit surprised Sam jogged to catch up with Alex.

Lena gave Kara a chaste kiss. “I’ll make it up to you,” she promised.

“You don’t have to,” Kara disagreed. “We can stay here, in the shadows, together.”

“I know you want to go in the water, Kara. Go on, have fun with your friend,” Lena said, nodding her head towards the water where Lucy splashed water at Reign. “I’ll be here, admiring you from afar.”

Kara smiled and flexed her arms, pleased when Lena bit her lip. If she stretched a couple times more before reaching the water, that was completely coincidental and had nothing to do with Lena staring at her whatsoever.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Don’t worry about any red eyes you might see inside of the club,” Lena said in advance. “It is run by vampires, though I assure you no harm will come to any of you.”

Lena visited Crimson Mist roughly once every five decades, give or take. This club was one of the few who served bloody cocktails, although the drink was not on the menu. Vampires who specifically asked for it could obtain it, and others could not. Such drinks came at a cost, but she had plenty to spend, and they knew of her.

“Do you reckon it’s safe?” Lucy asked.

Reign wound an arm around Lucy. “I will protect you,” she said, kissing the top of Lucy’s head. “If anyone aims to harm you I will end them.”

“We’re not here to fight. This is a peaceful place,” Lena cautioned. “As I said, no harm will come to any of you. If any problems occur, I will deal with them accordingly.”

Lena smiled at the way Kara blinked her eyes and parted her lips when they reached the entrance of the club. She assumed Kara picked up on the detail the bouncers did not have a pulse, considering they were vampires.

“Magdalena,” one of the bouncers whispered. His eyes traveled towards the others. “You brought…,” he paused, narrowing his eyes at Reign before flitting them back to Lena. “Company,” he finished with a strained smile.

Lena took a step forward. “Not company, Damian,” she corrected the foolish vampire who dared glare at Reign. Of course, word must have traveled across the land. “I brought family,” she said, dusting her hands over his shoulders.

“My mistake,” the vampire replied, respectfully stepping aside to let them enter.

“Oh, and, Damian,” Lena whispered, trailing behind while the others went ahead of her. “Next time you glare at my family, I will reach down your throat to rip out your heart,” she said, slipping a hundred dollar bill in the cowering man’s pocket while the other bouncer froze. “Have a lovely night.” 

Inside the club, Kara awaited Lena with crossed arms. “Really?” she sighed.

“I’m not a hero, darling,” Lena reminded her soulmate. “I won’t stand for disrespect,” she stated calmly, and fear was a powerful weapon she did not shy away from using when needed.

“The first round is on me,” Lena said, smiling at how Lucy immediately threw herself at the bar. “You have to be twenty-one to consume alcohol.”

Alex and Lucy both groaned at that.

“We can toats pass for twenty-one,” Lucy said. “It’s our summer vacation. Who’s going to stop us?”

“We abide the law,” Sam spoke up. “Mostly, at least,” she conceded.

When they all got their first round of drinks, Lucy took sips from Reign’s beer with a smug grin on her face.

Lena could not be bothered by it, so long as Lucy drank with moderation. Humans had such weak, fragile bodies. There was no telling how much alcohol Alex and Lucy could consume. Meanwhile, Kara drank club soda, which was a relief because water did not make kissing Kara taste bad. Not that kissing her soulmate was ever truly gross, although certain drinks were harder to endure. The orange juice Kara drank this morning had a repulsive flavor.

Lucy grasped Reign’s hand and led her to the dance floor where a blue spotlight shone down. “You got this,” she said, grabbing Reign’s other hand as well. “Feel the music, let it guide you.”

Reign pulled Lucy into her. “I can feel its vibrations,” she hummed.

Lucy lowered her hands. “You need to loosen your hips,” she said, chuckling when Reign shook her hips rapidly, resembling a doll with a bobbing head.

Sam butted in halfway through the song. “Dancing is easy,” she whispered, twirling Reign around. “There is only one rule when you dance.”

“Are you going to tell me?” Reign asked, tugging at Sam’s hand to twirl her as well. “Or do I need to shake it out of you?”

Lena broke a glass when she saw four vampires closing in on Reign from a distance. She had no doubt it was meant to be subtle, but Reign was not threatening a vampire. Reign merely poked fun with her sister. Her warning appeared to pay off as the vampires glanced her way, and took several steps back.

“No worries. I’ll share my knowledge with you, _sister_ ,” Sam said to Reign, stressing their sibling bond while she cut the vampires who got the wrong impression an icy glare.

Lena was not surprised Sam noticed. The part that saddened her was Reign picked up on it, too. Reign might have tried to hide it, but after a decade with Reign, she knew her reasonably well. She saw the brief second where Reign cast her eyes down, and she heard the lump Reign seemed unable to swallow.

Kara tapped Lena on the shoulder, smile sincere. “May I have this dance, please and thank you?” she asked, extending her hand.

Lena smiled back. Leave it to Kara to provide the best distraction. She accepted her hand, surprised to find Kara’s style of dancing was as refined as hers.

“The only rule is to have fun,” Sam informed Reign. “And fuck what everybody else thinks.”

“Hell yes,” Lucy chimed in. “Can I have my girlfriend back now?”

“Yes, give her to Luce,” Alex agreed. “Dance with me,” she said to Sam.

“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” Sam asked, running a hand through Alex’s hair.

“It means I’ll sleep on it,” Alex answered, poking out her tongue.

Lena heard Kara sing ever so quietly as they danced. Whenever her soulmate appeared not to know the song, she hummed. Every little thing about Kara warmed her. How she got this lucky was beyond her. Kara was a blessing in her life. Kara gave her so much light and love it felt as if she never knew darkness to begin with.

“You’re thinking,” Kara said, gazing into Lena’s eyes. “I can tell by the way your eyes become unfocused. Penny for your thoughts?”

“If only you knew how special you are,” Lena whispered, caressing the back of her finger down Kara’s jaw. “I love you,” she said, bringing her lips closer to Kara’s, but she did not kiss her, not yet. Considering the taste of the blood she drank was still on her tongue, she settled on a peck.

Kara sighed at the contact. She kissed back, a little harder. “Can I?”

“The taste,” Lena began, smiling at Kara’s knowing smile. “Yes, you can.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex slowly pushed the robe she had on down her shoulders, then her arms, and let it pool to the floor. She smiled at the way Sam’s eyes raked down her body as she stood in front of the bubble bath. The fact they had one of those in their hotel room was amazing.

Alex spun a circle so Sam could see her better. “Like what you see?” she asked, and despite the fact she was stark naked, she wasn’t blushing this time.

Sam stood up in the bubble bath. Droplets of water ran down her equally naked body. “Can’t you see I’m wet for you?” she replied with her typical cheeky smile and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Alex’s jaw dropped while her eyes roamed down Sam’s body. “Fuck, you always get me,” she said, swallowing as she stepped closer to the bubble bath. “You’re a tease.”

“So are you,” Sam shot back, holding out a hand to help Alex into the bubble bath. “And I do like what I see, for the record. Very much so.”

Alex set one foot inside of the water and then the other. It was pleasantly warm; the temperature enough to barely shiver at the cold sensation of Sam’s skin, though she was getting used to her girlfriend making her shudder.

“We should take bubble baths together more,” Alex whispered, placing her hands on Sam’s shoulders, gently pushing her down.

Sam obliged. She gazed at Alex while Alex moved to straddle her. “I like the way you think,” she said, running her hands up Alex’s arms.

Alex closed her eyes when Sam leaned forward to kiss her neck. It felt like snowflakes touching her skin, for a second, and then the press of Sam’s lips burned right through her, all the way down to her core.

“Sam,” Alex whimpered, threading her fingers through Sam’s short locks.

Sam left open-mouthed kisses all over Alex’s neck, scraping her teeth here and there. “Our first vacation together,” she said, kissing Alex’s jaw, working her way up to her lips.

Alex’s mouth ghosted close to Sam’s. “Before I heard Lena say we were going to Miami, I thought she chose something like Siberia or Antarctica,” she revealed with a chuckle, happy such a sunny, vacation-orientated place was where they wound up.

“For a moment I thought she was taking us all to Disney World because I caught her looking at their website on her phone once.”

“I’d have been okay with that. Now that we’re here, I definitely prefer Miami. Aside from the no drinking under twenty-one allowed nonsense,” Alex replied, finding that last bit a bummer, although it didn’t put a damper on the fact she was on vacation with her girlfriend.

Alex took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking,” she said, toying with the fine hairs at the back of Sam’s neck. “When this vacation is over, I want to tell my parents about you. We’ve been together for quite some time, and I think they suspect I’m seeing someone.”

“Okay,” Sam replied, combing her fingers through Alex’s hair. “I support whichever decision you make, baby.”

Alex smiled and leaned in to steal a quick kiss, which turned into a long kiss. She knew Sam would be supportive. She didn’t expect anything else. “I won’t tell them you’re a vampire just yet…”

“But you want to someday,” Sam said, sucking her lips into her mouth when Alex nodded.

“Unless you’re not okay with that,” Alex added hastily. “It’s your secret to share, not mine.”

“Perhaps I can meet them first in a neutral setting,” Sam suggested.

“I’d like that,” Alex agreed, smiling. She knew it couldn’t be during lunch or dinner, though the probability of her parents inviting Sam to one of those was high.

Sam frowned when Alex snapped her fingers.

A large smile stretched across Alex’s face. “I have the perfect plan. What do you do when your girlfriend is a vampire but happens to have an identical sister who’s not a vampire?”

“Oh no,” Sam groaned. “You want Reign to pretend she’s me so she can have dinner with your parents?”

Alex hummed. She could see her plan unfold perfectly. After her parents met Reign and hopefully didn’t complain about the small age difference of ten years, she could say her girlfriend got a new haircut whenever Sam showed up to go out with her.

“I’d say I’ll ask her nicely because I’m her sister, but it’s better if I bribe her with lollipops.”

Alex knew to deceive her parents just a little wasn’t ideal, but she wanted them to know Sam was her girlfriend because she was serious about her relationship with Sam. “I love you,” she whispered, cupping Sam’s cheeks.

“I love you, too,” Sam replied, meeting Alex’s lips halfway.

 


	29. Chapter 29

Kara watched with a grimace as Lena consumed the icky potion, but she knew it was necessary to protect Lena from the sun, and that Lena was used to it. This was their second week in Miami. Today they were going shopping, although her budget was limited. Not that she had anything to complain about, considering Lena covered the cost of the hotel and all of the food. She offered to pay a part, as did her sister, but Lena was having none of that.

“They have loads of souvenir shops round here,” Lucy said, fingers laced together with Reign’s.

“Yes, they do,” Lena agreed, reaching into her purse. “This is for you,” she said, holding out a credit card to Reign.

Reign frowned and slowly accepted the card.

“You can both use it to buy anything you like,” Lena said to Lucy and Reign.

“Sweet,” Lucy replied, grinning. She nudged Reign’s side. “Imagine all the lollipops you’ll be able to buy. I’ve seen a shop with lollipops the size of your head.”

Reign smiled. “We should go there and buy one together,” she said, pulling Lucy into her.

Kara reached for Lena’s hand, happy she got to hold hands with her in public. She swung her arm back and forth, glancing at the streets filled with shops which stretched ahead of them. After two steps, she felt Lena had stopped walking.

“How about we split up?” Lena suggested, looking around at their small group. “We can all meet up at the hotel around dinner time.”

“The whole afternoon where I get to wander around with my girlfriend?” Sam replied, smiling. “Say no more,” she said, leaving with Alex before anyone could say another word.

Kara smiled at the skip her sister had in her steps. Splitting up was a good idea. While she didn’t mind spending time as a group, it was nice to spend some time alone with Lena.

Reign stared at the credit card. She tried to give it to Lucy, but Lucy shook her head.

Lucy nuzzled closer to Reign. “Where do you want to go first, Rey?”

“Lollipops,” Reign whispered.

Kara chuckled when Reign started speed walking, to which Lucy could hardly keep up.

Reign crouched down until Lucy hopped onto her back.

“See the rest of y’all tonight, babes!” Lucy shouted, smiling from ear to ear.

“That was sweet of you,” Kara whispered to Lena, kissing her cheek. “The card,” she clarified.

“Everyone in our family deserves to have a budget to spend.”

“Our family,” Kara noted, feeling her heart swell. It was perfect. “I like the sound of that,” she hummed.

Kara wandered into a small shop with Lena. It was colorful and sold a variety of souvenirs, ranging from key chains to t-shirts. She picked up a postcard from a rack filled with similar cards. Imra would like one of those, and she wanted one for her adoptive parents as well. She settled for pictures of the beach because the view was breathtaking.

Lena tried on a hat with feathers on top of it.

“You look like a chicken,” Kara giggled.

Lena promptly placed an identical hat on Kara’s head. “Now you do, too.”

“Hmm,” Kara said while her eyes flitted around the store. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

“If it’s food, then no.”

Kara gasped. “I don’t always think about food,” she objected with a huff, although now that Lena brought it up she was. “We need sunglasses and shirts to go with our hats.”

Lena raised a brow. “You’re serious,” she said, making a face as she ran a hand through the feathers atop the hat.

“You started it,” Kara replied with a shrug and a smile.

“Havana, ooh na-na,” Kara sang, “half of my heart is in Havana.” She skimmed through souvenirs, trying to choose something she wanted to buy for Lena while Lena tried on sunglasses.

Lena snaked her arms around Kara’s waist. “I love it when you sing,” she whispered, kissing Kara’s cheek.

“I know it’s one of your favorite sounds,” Kara said, recalling Lena told her all about it that night in the woods where they gazed at the stars and shared an open-hearted conversation. “Maybe during this trip, you’ll discover another favorite sound,” she hinted subtly, cheeks coloring. “If you want,” she added, shuddering as Lena pressed a kiss to her neck.

Kara hoped it wasn’t too brazen or too straightforward, but she was serious. She thought about it before, though she understood they took things slow. It was important they were both ready to make such a step, so if it took another year or multiple, then that was okay. They were soulmates, and she wasn’t going anywhere.

Lena grasped Kara’s chin, drawing her into a kiss which made the rest of the world fade away, even though it only lasted for a second or two.

Kara chased Lena's lips, convincing Lena with a pout to kiss her again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena walked along the shore with Reign. It was dark out, nobody else was on the beach, and she heard the waves overlapping with one another. She asked Reign if they could have a word in private, feeling it was long due.

Reign’s heartbeat was steady. Her breaths were even as she followed Lena’s steps.

“I’m not sure where to begin,” Lena said, for starters. “You matter to me, Reign. You always have.”

Reign fished a lollipop out of her pocket. The wrapper made a wrinkly sound as she opened it. “You made a blood oath with the head of Carpe Noctem,” she said casually, licking her sweet treat. “You put your life on the line for me.”

Lena clicked her tongue against the roof of your mouth. “Sam,” she whispered, of course, telling Sam resulted in Sam sharing it with Reign. She should have kept it to herself, considering she did not want the siblings to worry about such a detail.

“I knew you cared about me from before. I knew the day you saved me. You love me.”

“This again,” Lena replied, though she could not deny it was true. “You’re my family, Reign. I will always look out for you.”

Reign hugged her arms around Lena. “When you saved me, I was a stranger to you. Your heart is pure,” she said, tightening her grip when Lena instinctively scoffed.

Lena’s heart was nowhere near pure. It was never going to be, and that was okay. “Before I saved you when I heard about you, I felt I knew you. Not personally, but you reminded me of myself, my human self. In that aspect, you were never a stranger to me. I couldn’t save myself, and I didn’t want that to happen to you, not if I could prevent it. One could say my intentions were selfish.”

“You say that because you rob yourself from accepting credit for the good things you do. After all these centuries, a part of you still believes you’re not worthy. You’re worried all people will ever see is the dark in you because that’s what you see in yourself.”

“Okay, that’s enough with psychoanalyzing me,” Lena said, her smile thin as she stepped back. “You have a light inside of you, Reign. I hope that grows. You’re not darkness and despair. Nobody is born evil. We all have a choice, and I know you’ll make the right one, always. I know what that blood oath can cost me, but it doesn’t matter because I trust you.”

“Trust,” Reign whispered as if she tried the word on her tongue, tested the weight of it. “You gave me trust, and I left. I forced the door of your lab when I realized I had my powers back.”

No words could encompass how worried Lena felt when that happened, in particular, because she had no idea whether Reign escaped or got taken. “I kept you down there as if you were my prisoner, my pet, even, and I shouldn’t have done that. You deserved better. When you were gone, it made me realize I couldn’t have kept you down there forever. I should have fought for you ten years ago, should have voiced my arguments to Carpe Noctem then.”

“You kept me alive,” Reign pointed out, which was true, but beside the point.

“I owe you an apology, Reign,” Lena said from the bottom of her heart. “I’ve noticed you appear to seek Lucy’s approval now and then. It doesn’t happen continuously, but I’ve seen it happen. You’re free. Nobody can tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. When you want to go for a swim; go, don’t pause to see if Lucy agrees. If there’s a competition which looks like fun to you, participate if you want to. Live your life without shackles of any kind.”

“The pie eating competition,” Reign whispered, hugging her arms around herself. “I don’t know how to be alone. Lucy is my anchor. She found me, gave me clothes and food. She looks after me.”

“It’s good to have an anchor. You’re allowed to discuss things with Lucy. All I’m trying to tell you is you don’t have to let someone lead you,” Lena explained, reaching for Reign’s hands. She had no doubt Lucy would never treat Reign as if Reign had to follow her commands. “I want you to be happy, Reign. You don’t have to be alone, but you don’t belong to anyone other than yourself.”

Reign glanced down at her hands, and then back up at Lena.

“Back at my lab, I once told you that you were mine. I acted as if you were my property because I was a coward,” Lena confessed, feeling she might need a break from emotions after this conversation. “The truth was I did care about you, and I did love you. I still do.”

“I didn’t hear that last bit,” Reign replied while a smile tugged at her lips. “Can you say that again, a little louder?”

Lena smiled as well. “I might strangle you someday.”

Reign went in for another hug. “I’m physically stronger than you,” she pointed out.

Lena wondered how long Reign was going to hug her for, but she knew Reign needed this, so she held on without complaining or pushing her away. “You’re my family, Reign. Never forget that.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara closed her eyes when Lena’s lips pressed to her cheek. She savored the feeling as they stood next to their bed. When her eyes fluttered open, Lena gazed in them, blue met green with swirls of red.

“Your eyes are special,” Kara whispered, thumbing at Lena’s cheek. “I like them,” she said, fascinated how they reddened whenever Lena got thirsty, or how there were bits of red in them when Lena felt desire. The latter was more of a guess rather than something she knew for sure.

Lena grasped Kara’s hand, lifting it close to her mouth. She kissed the inside of Kara’s wrist, letting her lips linger as she closed her eyes. Her cold lips melted on Kara’s warm skin.

Kara’s breath caught while Lena’s mouth inched higher, kissing all the way up to her upper arm, where Lena’s lips met the fabric of the shirt she had on. “Oh,” she breathed out as Lena skipped over the short sleeve to kiss her neck.

Lena settled one hand on Kara’s hip and wove the other into Kara’s blonde locks.

Kara cupped the back of Lena’s neck, toying with strands of her hair while her other hand caressed Lena’s back. When Lena kissed her, the sound of her own heartbeat drummed in her ears. Her heart hammered in her chest, lost in the feeling that was Lena’s lips, how perfectly their mouths fit together.

Their kiss started out slow. There was no rush. Neither one of them was hungrily aiming to deepen it; instead, they kissed as if they had all the time in the world.

Lena’s hand slid underneath Kara’s shirt, dancing up her bare back. She licked at the seam of Kara’s lips in slow motion, tasting, testing, exploring.

Kara parted her lips, moaning as her tongue met Lena’s, allowing their kiss to deepen. She stroked her hand up Lena’s back, resting it on her shoulder while she felt Lena’s hand inching higher. Lena’s touch paired with their kiss sparked through her, setting her nerve endings on fire.

Lena slowed their kiss down with a nip to Kara’s lower lip, biting her own lip as she leaned a few inches away, which gave Kara the chance to catch her breath. She loosened the hand she had tangled in Kara’s hair, lowering it down Kara’s body until she was able to grasp the hem of Kara’s shirt with both of her hands.

Kara’s eyes darkened with desire. Her lips parted, releasing a shaky breath. She nodded before Lena could ask.

Lena didn’t rip, much to Kara’s surprise because Kara tended to do just that. Instead, she took her time lifting up Kara’s shirt, discarding it onto the floor. “Beautiful,” she whispered, raking her eyes down Kara’s chest, flicking them back up a beat later to gaze into Kara’s eyes.

Kara gripped the sides of Lena’s nightdress. As much as she wanted to rip, when Lena nodded her consent, she repeated Lena’s earlier movements and took her time lifting it over Lena’s head. Her breath hitched at the sight of Lena in black lace underwear.

Their underwear was the only thing keeping them covered. Neither one of them had a bra on. They both took a pause, admiring each other, mapping skin with their eyes.

The back of Kara’s knees hit the edge of the bed when Lena gave her a gentle push. She let herself fall, though she pulled Lena along with her. Once she was on their bed, she shuffled to get in the middle, breath hitching once more as Lena wedged her knee between her legs.

Lena ran her thumb across Kara’s lips. “I love you,” she husked, eyes alternating between green and red. She dipped her head down, capturing Kara’s lips.

Kara embraced the feeling of everything that was Lena. She held on to Lena’s upper arms while they kissed slow and languid. Lena swallowed the needy moan which escaped her, and then she felt the vibrations of Lena’s moan as their bodies pressed closer together.

Lena’s hands wandered, palming Kara’s breasts, teasing her nipples. She licked a path down Kara’s chest, swirling her tongue around her areolas, capturing her nipples carefully between her teeth.

Kara closed her eyes when she felt them warm up. The combination of Lena’s hands and mouth on her breasts, and Lena’s knee pressing between her legs awoke her heat vision. “Lena…,” she whimpered. “My glasses…bathroom.”

Kara shivered when Lena was no longer on top of her. She heard quick, lithe footsteps, and a second later Lena slipped her glasses onto the bridge of her nose.

“Better?” Lena asked, caressing Kara’s cheeks.

Kara slowly peeled her eyes open, releasing a breath she held until this moment. “Yes,” she answered, smiling, surging up to kiss Lena. “Everything you do feels good. Too good,” she said with a chuckle, gesturing at her eyes. “I almost burned a hole into the ceiling.”

“You can tell me to stop if it becomes too much for you.”

Kara shook her head. There was no way she was going to do that. “Keep going,” she replied, her voice coming out raspy. She thanked Rao when Lena went on, reveling at Lena’s lips going lower.

Lena hooked her thumbs underneath the sides of Kara’s underwear. “Is it okay if I take this off?”

“Y-yes,” Kara answered, resting her chin on her chest to watch Lena. Her heart beat like crazy when Lena dragged her underwear down with her teeth instead of with her hands. Oh Rao, her soulmate wasn’t kidding that time she mentioned she wanted to make her fall apart piece by piece rather than ravishing her.

Lena’s eyes turned red as she drank Kara in. She caressed her palm up and down Kara’s thigh and leaned down to kiss her hipbone.

“Can you take off yours, too?” Kara asked, licking her lips in anticipation of seeing Lena completely naked for the first time.

Lena snapped out of her trance. “Of course, darling,” she answered, smiling sweetly as she removed her underwear.

Kara’s breath caught instantly. Lena’s skin was flawless, and her curves, Rao, those curves made her want to sin. “Oh… Lena,” she whispered, tugging at Lena’s hand. “Kiss me.”

Lena stumbled ungraciously. “You’re stronger than me,” she reminded Kara with a humored smile. “How do you feel?”

Kara answered with a kiss. She ran her hands down Lena’s sides, moaning as she squeezed Lena’s ass. “You’re so beautiful,” she breathed out against Lena’s lips.

Lena backed away and sank down onto her knees between Kara’s legs. “Slow,” she said, tracing patterns on Kara’s thigh with the tip of her finger.

“Lena,” Kara whimpered, resisting the urge to rub her legs together. She had no doubt she was wet, and from the sight of Lena, she was, too. “Lena, please.”

Lena ran her fingers through Kara’s slick folds. She circled the tip of her index finger around Kara’s clit, working her up little by little.

If Kara didn’t have her glasses on, she would have burned down their room at the first swipe of Lena’s tongue, which had her keening, hands fisting the sheets.

Lena looped her hands under Kara’s thighs, bringing her center closer to her face. Her licks started out slow, calculated, causing Kara to whimper.

Kara tightened her grip on the covers. “Lena… Oh yes, so good,” she said, releasing a shuddering breath as Lena pushed two fingers inside of her while Lena’s tongue did wickedly delicious things, which made her feel things she never experienced before. “Le-Lena! Mhmm, yes… like that, ah, yes!”

Lena moved her fingers faster, altering between sucking Kara’s clit and licking. She held Kara’s hips down when Kara canted them up to meet her thrusts.

“I’m, oh… Le-Lena!” Kara moaned aloud. It felt as if something inside of her was about to explode. “I’m coming!”

Four rooms away from theirs, Sam grumbled, “I’m leaving.”

 


	30. Chapter 30

**_Seven years later…_ **

 

Sam sat down in a pool of blood. The copper taste filled her mouth. Her hand shook as she reached for Alex’s hand. She never thought she would grow familiar with the flavor of her soulmate’s blood, and yet here she was.

“Please,” Sam trembled. Tears rolled down her cheeks while the sound of Alex’s pulse weakened.

“Oh my god,” Lucy said as she walked in. “I thought you knew what you were doing.”

“I thought so, too,” Sam whispered, gripping Alex’s hand while her tears fell to the floor.

“Fuck,” Lucy muttered, kneeling down. “Shit,” she hissed, bringing her hand up to her mouth. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“You shouldn’t,” Sam agreed.

“I don’t understand. When you bit me two years ago, I didn’t lose that much blood.”

Two years ago, Reign came to Sam with the request Lucy wanted to be a vampire so that Lucy could be with Reign forever. Sam’s initial response was hesitation, mainly because she had never turned anyone before, but her sister begged, so she agreed. That moment was nothing compared to tonight. When she bit Lucy, Reign was there to oversee it all, to stop her if she took it too far.

Lena was somewhat dismayed when she learned how Lucy, at age twenty-three, was turned into a vampire. The transformation was successful, but the odds remained. Only six out of every ten people survived a bite. It was a risk and for most vampires, becoming one wasn’t their choice. Turning often happened during a failed attack or when a vampire didn’t fully complete feeding.

Tonight, Sam bit Alex because her soulmate asked her to. It gave her a pause at first, but Alex insisted she was strong enough to pull through it, to survive the venom. Alex received resistance from her parents making this particular decision. It was a lot for them to digest, especially after learning roughly five years ago, both of their daughters were in a relationship with a vampire. In the end, Eliza and Jeremiah said it was Alex’s choice, and they couldn’t stop her.

Now, Sam would have to face Alex’s parents to tell them she failed.

“I did this to her,” Sam choked out. “I tasted her blood, and all I saw was red. I went too far, drank too much. She lay dying because of me.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Lucy muttered, pounding her fists onto the floor. She worked her jaw, eyes widening as she gaped at the blood on her hands. “I… I’m sorry…,” she whispered, scrambling back. “I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t be here. The smell…I just can’t.”

Sam nodded. She didn’t expect a newborn of two years to be able to control herself when there was so much blood. “Go,” she said, holding Alex’s ashen hand in both of hers. “Leave!”

Sam hadn’t meant to snap at Lucy, but she couldn’t risk Lucy’s control slipping. She was in no place to fight someone to keep Alex safe, even though she already failed at the latter. More tears stung her eyes while Lucy sped off.

Blood coated Alex’s clothes and even her hair.

Sam shivered at the sight, at the smell. She stopped, but she didn’t do it soon enough. A lump formed in her throat as she stared at Alex’s closed eyes, at her blue lips, and her ashen skin. “Eight years ago, I met you at the hospital. You fought, Alex, you always did. You’re brave, and I always knew if anyone could pull through this to watch what the world would look like a century from now, it would be you,” she whispered, pressing her bloody lips to Alex’s.

“You have to fight, baby,” Sam said, crying as Alex’s pulse grew weaker. “There are so many places in the world you have yet to see. I want to show every single one of them to you. You deserve to know what it feels like to have that pristine feeling of walking barefooted in the snow, the feeling of catching snowflakes without shivering. Some people think a vampire can never feel hot or cold, but that’s not true because when you’re with me, all I feel is warmth. Immortality knows no end, and neither does how I feel about you.”

Sam littered kisses all over Alex’s face. Her teardrops touched Alex’s skin. She should have never lost self-control, not with her soulmate. Eight years she never slipped with her thirst and at the moment where it mattered most she didn’t, she did. She screwed up, and now the person who made her heart want to beat again, who made her feel alive, was dying.

A foreign sound echoed behind Sam, followed by multiple footsteps and three heartbeats.

“Carpe Noctem,” Sam whispered without taking her eyes away from Alex.

Lexa crouched down in front of Sam. She put her blade down, wiping Sam’s tears with her gloved hands. “Seventeen years ago, you were hunted because Reign resided within you. When you turned after the separation, we voted you were worth sparing.”

Sam knew that. She didn’t need a reminder. “As far as I’m aware, the oath hasn’t been broken. Reign is not a vampire killer, but if there’s an issue, I can come to your throne room tomorrow. All I ask of you is to let me have this night to mourn my loved one. Once she’s gone, I’ll no longer have a heart to rip out anyway,” she replied, holding on to Alex’s hand like a crutch.

“We want to help you,” Octavia informed Sam.

“To apologize for the past,” Raven added.

“According to my calculations, Alex Danvers will die without our interference,” Brainy said.

“We can help,” Psi chimed in. “Alex is one of Imra’s friends. You can trust us.”

Sam didn’t look at any one of them, focused solely on Alex. “Help how?”

“Raven,” Lexa said with a curt nod.

Sam flinched when Raven approached Alex, but Lexa’s hand on her shoulder halted her.

Raven revealed a serum. When Lincoln parted Alex’s lips, she emptied the vial and whispered a spell. “It is done,” she said, giving Lexa a nod as she opened a portal.

Sam watched, confused, while the members of Carpe Noctem disappeared through the portal.

Lexa was the last. She lingered in front of Sam. “I…,” she said, cupping Sam’s jaw. Her stoic mask slipped as her eyes softened. “I am sorry,” she whispered, speaking the words like it took every ounce of energy she had inside of her.

Sam frowned, unsure what happened. She didn’t get the chance to ask. Lexa stepped through the portal and then it was gone as if Carpe Noctem was never here.

The sound of Alex coughing violently stirred Sam out of her trance.

“Baby?” Sam whispered, tearing up as Alex’s eyes fluttered open. She thought she was never going to see her soulmate open her eyes ever again. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” she said, cradling Alex into her arms, stroking her hair.

Alex no longer had a heartbeat, but she was alive. “Hey,” she said, wiping Sam’s tears. “Why are you upset?”

Sam cried harder and held on to Alex tighter than she ever did in the past, knowing she couldn’t break her. She never knew Carpe Noctem felt any remorse, never considered they could feel any, but they did, and they saved her soulmate to make it up to her. Every living being, heartbeat or not, had a heart somewhere.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Supergirl! I need a little help here.”

“I’m on my way, Saturn Girl!”

Kara picked up speed as she flew towards Imra. She loved the fact they teamed up together to keep National City safe. Since they finished college, they moved to National City, and alongside her best friend, she stopped crime and protected the city from anyone who meant to cause it harm. Now and then, she could count on Reign’s help, who also kept their city safe.

It was easiest for her to team up with Imra because they knew each other well. While Imra used her telekinetic abilities to keep a building from collapsing, she used her heat vision to melt the foundations back in place so it no longer shook.

“Well done, Saturn Girl,” Kara said, high fiving her best friend.

“You too, Supergirl,” Imra replied, smiling as she hugged her arms around Kara.

Kara blinked at the multiple flashes which went off. The citizens of National City shipped Supergirl with Saturn Girl. There were also those who shipped her with Reign, and some even shipped the three of them together. Little did they know neither one of them was available.

“What’s next? Saving kittens from trees?”

Imra laughed at Psi’s mockery as the metahuman stepped out of the shadows where she had been lurking. “If you climb a tree and get stuck, sure,” she answered, sticking out her tongue at her girlfriend.

Kara smiled as they left the public eye to get some privacy. Three years ago, when they finished college, Imra was over the moon, telling her she started seeing Psi.

“Catch up later?” Imra asked Kara, squeezing her upper arm.

“Yes, I’ll see you around,” Kara answered, finding it a pity Imra didn’t move in with the rest of the gang, but she understood her best friend chose to share a house with her sister and with Psi. “Go have fun with your girl.”

“I’m a woman,” Psi muttered.

“Ever the cheerful one, love,” Imra said, gently elbowing Psi.

“What can I say, Matilda? It’s in my nature.”

“You’re never going to call me by my name, are you?”

Being Supergirl gave Kara the chance to do something useful with her powers, and it also gave her a release for them. Years she had to hold her powers in, had to lock them away. When she found a kitten stuck in a tree, she laughed at the irony, and she barely resisted the urge to call Imra to tell her an emergency required her assistance.

“Hey, little kitty cat,” Kara whispered, smiling down at the now purring kitten. “How did you get up so high in that tree, hm?”

“Oliver!” a little girl squealed, clenching and unclenching her raised hands, smiling up at the tiny pet in Supergirl’s hands.

Kara touched down. “Here you go, sweetie,” she said, handing the kitten over.

The girl’s whole face lit up. “Thank you, Supergirl!” she shouted, running forward, wrapping an arm around Kara’s legs. “Mommy, mommy! Supergirl saved Oliver! We have to give her cookies!”

Kara chuckled as a woman walked out of the house. “It’s quite alright,” she assured, combing a hand through the girl’s hair.

The little girl grabbed Kara’s hand and tugged. “We have cookies and milk and cookies. I made them with my mommy. We decorated them together,” she gushed while she walked towards the house.

When the girl’s mother apologized, Kara smiled. “It’s okay. Your daughter is very sweet,” she said, letting the girl string her along.

Kara wound up getting a mini-tour around the house. She listened as the girl babbled about all of the drawings in her bedroom and the ones on the refrigerator. Her heart melted into a puddle when the girl gave her a drawing of a red and blue blur next to a very tiny blur.

“This is you,” the little girl said, pointing her finger at the bigger blur. “And this is me.”

“Oh my, this is beautiful. I love it. You’re very talented,” Kara replied, and oh Rao, children were adorable.

Kara ate fives cookies and despite her nicest tries how the mother gave her enough, she received a plastic container filled with cookies to take with her, which she promised to share with Saturn Girl, after learning the girl was also a huge fan of her best friend.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lucy grimaced while Reign enjoyed a lollipop. “No, no,” she rushed out when Reign leaned in for a kiss. “Don’t kiss me with that mouth. Your lips are all sticky, and argh, food really does taste and smell disgusting for vampires.”

Lena smiled when Reign stole a kiss from Lucy anyway. She remembered how after Lucy turned, Lucy thought she could still enjoy things such as pizza because she claimed tomato sauce could not taste that bad when its color resembled blood. Seeing the look of pure horror on Lucy’s face when she took a bite out of a slice of pizza was glorious, so much so she took a picture.

“God,” Lucy muttered. “The things I do for you,” she said to Reign, pulling her into a kiss to kiss her pout away.

Lena would sympathize with Lucy, but Lucy chose this life, unlike many others who did not have a choice at all. She only felt sorry for Reign because she could tell Reign missed being able to share meals and treats with Lucy.

Julia quietly sang while she combed Emily’s long raven locks. Emily officially joined their family six years ago, after going on dates with Julia for a year.

Lena was never sure whether Emily would scatter from her clan or not, but it turned out the youthful vampire did, for Julia. She gave Julia every opportunity to leave, which were all declined by Julia who insisted she belonged in a house with Sam and the others. Her family resembled a small clan, though in Lena’s eyes the people living in her home were her family. She had a larger mansion this time, with more rooms to house everyone.

“Your hair feels like silk between my fingers,” Julia said to Emily, threading her fingers through her long locks. “Can I braid your hair?”

“Anything you want, my beloved,” Emily answered, turning her head to the side, smiling as Julia kissed her cheek.

Lena wandered into the kitchen to pour herself a drink. She filled half of her cup with red wine and the other half with blood.

“Hey, Lee,” Lucy said, and god did Lena hate it how people made a habit out of calling her that. “Can you get me a cup, too? You know, with you being in the kitchen and all.”

“I am not your lackey,” Lena replied, smiling when she heard Reign whisper to Lucy she had to say please. She poured three more cups, in case Emily and Julia wanted one as well.

Lena never dared to imagine she would end up with a family, let alone a family which stretched beyond Sam, and Julia. She shared her home with six immortals; Sam, Julia, Emily, Reign, Lucy, and – thanks to Sam’s recent actions – Alex. What Sam did was dangerous, though she understood the request came from Alex, and she did not blame Sam for getting carried away.

When Lena heard how Alex nearly died and would have if Carpe Noctem did not have their witch interfere, she felt for Sam, for the pain she went through. It restored her faith in Carpe Noctem being some sort of force for good, though she knew Lexa had a heart. There was always so much going on under Lexa’s stoic mask. Past or not, Lexa was lenient with her on more than one occasion.

If the prophecy came true and Carpe Noctem decided to go after Reign, Sam, and her; Lena ought to buy nice candles to burn down Lexa’s throne room. She owed the head of Carpe Noctem that much, although it was more a thought she humored herself with, doubting that rumor would ever come true.

Lena sipped from her drink, thinking how Reign was the only immortal in her house with a heartbeat, though she worked on an immortality potion in secret for Kara. While Kara aged significantly slower than humans and was able to live two to three centuries, if not more, she could not imagine ever losing her. Neither could the other members of their family. Each of them was fond of Kara in their own way.

Reign pulled a face when Lucy tried to kiss her after Lucy downed a cup of blood mixed with wine.

Lucy grinned. “Aw, you don’t like a taste of your own medicine?” she asked, her eyes flickered towards the lollipops on the table. “You’re stuck with me forever, Rey.”

“Not stuck,” Reign disagreed, tucking a lock of Lucy’s hair behind her ear. “In love.”

“Gah, my heart,” Lucy whispered, placing a hand on her chest. “I might not have a heartbeat, but I still have a heart, and it’s all yours, babe.”

Lena did not look away when Lucy and Reign kissed. It was not gross; it was sweet and loving, and they deserved each other. Seeing her family happy made her happy, too.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena raised a brow when Kara entered their bedroom clad as Supergirl. “Not done for the day? You ought to recharge your batteries, darling.”

“Oh I’m done,” Kara answered as she took a step towards Lena and another. “Just not with you,” she said, pulling Lena closer.

“I do like your suit,” Lena drawled, pressing a lingering kiss to Kara’s jaw, bringing her lips closer to Kara’s ear. “And the package underneath it,” she added.

Kara held up a hand. She placed a small distance in between them, and reached around her neck to take off her necklace, as she always did before going to bed with Lena, so the silver didn’t burn her. “You’re wearing one of my shirts,” she noted while she put her jewelry onto her bedside table.

Lena hummed as she stretched her arms, showing off just how naked her legs were.

Kara’s mouth ran dry when she realized Lena wasn’t wearing anything underneath her shirt, at all. “You look ethereal,” she whispered, lifting Lena’s hand to her lips, kissing her knuckles in a feather-light flutter. “Your exquisite otherworldly beauty never fails to take my breath away.”

Lena smiled. “I could say the same about you, darling,” she replied, leaning in for a kiss.

Kara lifted Lena up while she kissed her, moaning as Lena’s legs wrapped around her waist. She slowly lowered Lena onto their bed, plucking at her shirt with a smile on her face. “You’re overdressed,” she all but purred in Lena’s ear.

“Am I?” Lena asked, smiling up at Kara, curling a lock of her hair around her finger. “I have no doubt you can remedy that.”

Kara settled on ripping the shirt, considering it was hers anyway.

Lena shook her head, smile still in place. “You can’t resist, can you?” she commented.

“Tomorrow you’ll steal another one of my shirts anyway,” Kara replied with a knowing smile.

Lena tugged at Kara’s cape. Her fingers moved deftly, unlatching it, leaving it to fall to the side.

Kara pressed a kiss to Lena’s forehead, one to her nose, to her lips, her chin; slowly working her way lower, showing appreciation for every bit of skin she could touch with murmured words of love. She gave the other residents of their house a fair warning not to be around tonight if they didn’t want to hear too much.

Lena snagged her lip between her teeth while Kara got undressed. Her eyes reddened when the harness Kara put on was revealed. “Naughty,” she husked, licking her lips.

Kara straddled Lena’s hips. “Yes,” she said, grasping Lena’s wrists, pinning them above her head. “Yes, I am,” she agreed, dipping her head down to bite Lena’s neck.

Lena shifted her head, giving Kara better access. “You walking in with your suit already did it for me,” she whimpered.

Kara snaked a hand down Lena’s body, moaning when she felt how wet Lena was.

“You couldn’t take my word for it?” Lena laughed.

“You know I like to cop a feel,” Kara replied, nipping at Lena’s jaw. “And a taste,” she added, sinking lower until she was able to run her tongue through Lena’s slick folds.

Lena squirmed at the contact.

Kara stopped and littered Lena’s thighs with kisses. The sound of Lena whimpering, whining, and moaning, was music to her ears. She teased Lena’s clit with her fingers, taking her time to work her up until she dripped.

“Tease,” Lena whispered. She pulled Kara down into a bruising kiss.

Kara pried Lena’s lips apart with her tongue, kissing her back with a newfound hunger while her desire increased. She was wet, too; she could feel how slick she was around the dildo. She kept their lips attached as she lined up the tip of the strap-on with Lena’s entrance.

A moan escaped the back of Lena’s throat when Kara pushed the dildo inside of her, inch by inch.

Kara pressed a chaste kiss to Lena’s lips, stilling her movements for a moment to give Lena a chance to adjust to the feeling. “I love you,” she breathed out, caressing Lena’s cheek.

Lena ran her thumb across Kara’s lips. “I love you, too,” she whimpered, closing her eyes, throat bobbing as she swallowed shakily.

“Does it hurt?” Kara asked, watching as Lena’s eyes fluttered open.

Every trace of green was gone from Lena’s eyes, they were red, and when she worked her jaw, her fangs showed. “You’re making me thirsty,” she said, scratching her nails down Kara’s back.

Kara arched her back. When Lena wrapped her legs around her, she gave an experimental thrust. The downright dirty moan which stumbled past Lena’s lips, followed by a series of expletives almost made her come on the spot.

“You don’t have to hold back,” Lena told Kara. “You won’t break me.”

“I was more worried about breaking our bed,” Kara replied, chuckling at the fact they ruined at least one bed every month when they took their strength too far. Not that either one of them complained.

“I’m going to make you feel good,” Kara promised Lena. “Slow,” she added, eyes twinkling at the slow torture that would be for Lena.

“Kara,” Lena whined, releasing a needy moan. She rocked her hips up, pouting when Kara held her down.

Kara kissed Lena’s pout away. She would never admit it aloud, but Lena’s pout was better than hers, and she couldn’t resist giving Lena whatever she wanted when she looked at her like that. Lena’s face was gorgeous as it twisted in pleasure while Lena grabbed pillows, squeezing.

Kara savored every second of making love to Lena. She pushed inside of her at a steady pace, not too hard and not too fast, regardless of how tempting it was to do just that when Lena moaned louder.

“Fuck, Kara,” Lena whispered. “I’m close.”

Kara used that moment to slip out of Lena, smiling as Lena immediately whined at the loss. She spread Lena’s legs apart, settling between them. “I got you,” she assured her, tasting her.

“Oh… Kara,” Lena moaned. “Mhmm, that feels good.”

Kara pushed two fingers inside of Lena, adding a third when she felt she was wet enough to take more. She took the sensitive bundle of nerves into her mouth while she curled her fingers, hitting that spot that drove Lena crazy.

“Kara!” Lena screamed as she came.

Kara helped Lena ride out of her orgasm, slowing her movements as she tasted Lena. She sucked her fingers clean for Lena to see, licking her lips to cherish the flavor of her soulmate.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 “Kara.”

“Mhmm?” Kara hummed.

“I love you forever. You know that right?” Lena asked, combing her fingers through Kara’s hair as they sat in the woods, in the glow of the moonlight.

Kara’s lips stretched into a smile. “I know,” she answered, nuzzling closer to Lena. “I love you forever, too. You’re the one for me, always.”

Lena revealed a vial with a bright orange liquid inside of it. “My love for you will still be as strong in ten centuries from now as it is today,” she said, kissing Kara’s temple. “Will you let me love you forever?”

Kara blinked and shifted until she faced Lena. “What’s that?” she asked, frowning at the strange liquid.

“An immortality potion. If you drink this, you’ll still be you, but you’ll never age a day again. We can be together forever.”

Kara took the vial. “How…?” she whispered, staring, inspecting the potion.

“I’m a mad scientist in my spare time, remember?” Lena replied with a chuckle.

Kara chewed her lip. A crinkle appeared between her eyebrows. “So… if I drink this, I’ll be immortal, but I won’t be a vampire?”

“I’d never rob you from the taste of the food you love so much, darling,” Lena assured her, giving Kara her word that was not the case. “It’s your choice. If you drink it, you will be immortal.”

“Alex is going to live forever,” Kara whispered, eying the potion. “You’re going to live forever.”

Lena went to far lengths to create that potion. The ingredients were hard to come by. She had to collect tears from ten children, the blood of a witch, and the heart of an innocent. Immortality came at a cost. She was not a hero. There was darkness inside of her, and while she was not born that way, she grew up engulfed in the dark.

“Okay,” Kara said, nodding.

Lena halted Kara before she could empty the vial. “Will you marry me?”

Kara burst out in tears. She hugged her arms around Lena’s neck, chanting a series of, “yes’.”

Lena never believed in rumors, but she believed in truth, in what she could see and touch. Kara was her soulmate, and what they had was genuine. From the moment she laid eyes upon Kara, lightning struck, and she knew they were meant to be.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**_Ten years later…_ **

 

Lithe footsteps sprinted through their castle, leaving a trail of blood in their wake.

Kara grimaced at the mess they would have to clean up. She chased after the blood thief with the others in tow. It was morning, and she had just woken up in her wife's arms.

“Stop,” Lena said, using her speed to block the entrance of the kitchen.

Alex blocked the front door while the others covered other possible exits.

Reign scooped up the now squealing thief.

“Well, well,” Lucy drawled. “You thought you could get away with stealing from our supply, hm?”

Kara took the tiny bandit over from Reign. “You little sneaky munchkin,” she said, tickling her daughter’s belly, smiling as the three-year-old giggled. “You’re just like your mother.”

“If you’re talking about yourself, yes,” Lena said, caressing the cheek of the cute little thief.

Kara was surprised four years ago when Lena said yes after she pitched the idea of a child to her. Along with help from Lena, she built a genesis chamber, replicating the one which existed on Krypton to create children. She used both of their DNA, and now they had a daughter who was a hybrid.

Their daughter could survive on both food and blood. She had the tiniest little fangs, which were barely visible. The sun didn’t burn her. She didn’t need any potions because she was a daywalker. Their daughter aged, though they believed she was bound to stop aging someday, possibly once she was fully grown.

“Look how messy you are,” Kara said, sighing at how her daughter was covered in blood.

Bright blue eyes stared at Kara. Raven locks were coated in blood. “Food,” she cooed, clapping her hands together.

“I swear she has your appetite,” Lena said to Kara.

“Do you want a lollipop, Alura?” Reign asked, revealing one from her pocket.

Alura’s attention immediately shifted towards Reign. “Pop!” she shouted, wriggling herself free, flying towards Reign, giggling when Reign lost her balance. “My pop,” she said, snatching the treat out of Reign’s hand.

Kara shared a worried glance with Lena. They both loved their daughter with all they had, but the fact their daughter was the only hybrid and therefore unique, was dangerous. Alura’s existence was kept a secret by their family. It had to be because a week before their daughter was born, a new prophecy was spoken into existence. According to the rumor, a special child would enter the world, and bring forth chaos and destruction.

Kara used to think nobody would dare harm a child on purpose, let alone a child so young, but she was wrong. Vampires all over the globe wanted to find the special child. Carpe Noctem claimed they merely wished to capture the child rather than kill, but that wasn’t okay either.

Lena had their family swear a blood oath to protect Alura. Vampires strictly prohibited immortal children. If they discovered Alura, it would not end well.

Kara was happy she had a family, and she hoped that one day there would be no battles left to fight. She lifted Alura into her arms, holding her close to her chest, listening to the little thumps of her heart, knowing she would burn the world for her angel. As she looked around at the rest of her family, she knew in her heart they would all do the same.

This was their family. They would die for each other. Their love was their greatest strength. It was the glue which held them all together.

“Hey,” Kara said when Alura bit her thumb. “You have to be careful, or you’ll break all of your teeny tiny teeth.”

“I hunny,” Alura whined, pouting when everyone chuckled.

“You’re hungry?” Lena asked, prying Alura out of Kara’s hands as if she didn’t hold her every night while Kara slept. “Do you want your favorite food?”

“I’m going to be sick,” Sam said, making a face.

“Me too,” Alex chimed in. “I don’t get how she can eat food with blood.”

Lena put Alura down for a second to get her food, but as soon as she did that, Alura ran off.

“Our little thief is on the move again,” Lucy said. “Jules, you go around the back from the left. Em, you from the right. Rey, you’re with me.”

Alura’s laughter echoed through the castle as they chased after her. Not a single day of their lives was ever dull, not when they had such a tiny rugrat filled with energy keeping them on their toes.

Kara thought it was impossible to love anyone more than she loved Lena until Alura entered their lives. There was no greater, truer love than the bond between a mother and her child.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been quite the journey. It has come to an end now. There won't be a sequel or a series, so you can fill in the rest with your imagination. They'll all be okay, they always have been. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated. They motivate me to keep writing. :)
> 
> Do remain respectful, I'm just a human being, posting fanfics for others to enjoy free of cost.


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